IIR Events homepage

Every year, IIR works with hundreds of thousands of business executives providing them with knowledge and skills through training, conferences, seminars, e-Learning, blended solutions, exhibitions, consulting and mentoring.

IIR owns the complete spectrum of an organization’s business knowledge and skills needs. IIR’s Exhibition companies provide market and product information; IIR’s Conference and Training companies provide business ideas and proficiency; and IIR’s Performance Improvement companies provide strategic direction through consulting and behaviour change through training, mentoring and reinforcement.

Geographically, IIR has the broadest and deepest global reach with companies in 22 countries and doing business in 70.  Organizationally, IIR businesses work with CEOs through to front-line staff.  By media, IIR continues to pioneer new formats from Large Scale Events to Blended Solutions.

In terms of sector, IIR has specialist companies providing groundbreaking strategies and proven technical expertise in both business functional areas and vertical markets . Whether it is –

• ESI, specializing in Project Management and Contracting
• Forum specializing in Leadership Development, World Class Sales Teams and the Branded Customer Experience
• Huthwaite, specializing in Sales Performance;
• Council on Education in Management, specializing in Employment Law;
• PTI, specializing in Pharmaceuticals;
• Omega, specializing in Financial Services;
• Communispond specializing in Communications;
• AchieveGlobal specializing in Sales, Leadership and Service
• Robbins Gioia specializing in Program Management
• or any of the other myriad of specialist companies, every IIR company is the leader in her field.

IIR History

IIR began in 1973 as a publisher of international newsletters. In 1978 IIR entered the conference business in the UK. In the wake of the success of the first two events, IIR's focus rapidly switched to conferences.   In 1979 the first conferences were held in Europe and Singapore, and by 1980 offices had opened in Singapore and Hong Kong, and conference activities had expanded into Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.

Worldwide Expansion

By 1986 there were 7 conference offices, and continued expansion in Europe, Scandinavia, North and South America, Africa, the Middle East and Australasia over the last decade has led to the current total of 46 companies - the broadest international spread of any company of its kind.   IIR continues to explore new and growing markets and have recently opened offices in Eastern Europe and Portugal.

Expansion through Diversification

IIR moved into Exhibitions in 1984 with the opening of an exhibitions company in Singapore. Today, IIR owns a large portfolio of high profile exhibitions throughout the world including the Monaco Yacht Show and IPEX.

Expansion by Acquisition

In 1986 IIR acquired the Northwest Centre for Professional Education, specialist organisers of US Real Estate conferences and seminars.

In 1989 we entered the training business by acquiring the American Institute, a major networking and data communications training organisation, which provided a springboard for expansion into Europe, Scandinavia and Australasia under the name of IIR Technology.

Continued Expansion

This double-edged expansion method - organic growth and acquisition - has continued throughout the 1990's and early 2000s to create what is now the world's largest business knowledge and skills company.

Our family of companies has grown rapidly, again both organically and through the acquisition of Council on Education in Management in 1995, ESI International in 1997, Omega Performance Corporation in 1999 and Huthwaite and AchieveGlobal in 2000, Communispond in 2002, Forum in 2003 and Adam Smith and Robbins-Gioia in 2004. These businesses are now using IIR’s international infrastructure to develop markets throughout the world.