Apollo Global Management has finalized its acquisition of two major companies rooted in business-to-business publications and live events, the asset management firm announced this week.
On Tuesday, Apollo’s investment vehicle referred to as Apollo-managed funds closed on its deal to purchase Questex and Emerald, with numerous executive promotions solidified as part of the acquisition.
Moving forward, Paul Miller will serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the newly-combined business unit, Apollo said; previously, he worked in the same capacity for Questex. Hervé Sedky, the former President and CEO of Emerald, will serve as a strategic advisor to the company, Apollo said.
Miller said the deal “marks an exciting milestone as we embark on a new chapter as one company.”
“By bringing together the best of Emerald and Questex, we are creating a stronger, differentiated platform with the scale, offerings, and talent to better serve our customers and partners,” Miller said. “With Apollo’s support and a strong leadership team in place, we are well-positioned to execute against our strategy, expand our portfolio, and capitalize on the significant opportunities ahead.”
Additionally, Apollo appointed Chief Financial Officer Vince DiMaggio, Chief Operating Officer Issa Jouaneh, Chief Commercial Officer Kate Spellman, Chief Talent Officer Kurt Nelson and Chief Legal Officer Sara Altschul. DiMaggio, Jouaneh and Altschul join Apollo from Emerald, while Spellman and Nelson are from Questex, according to online biographies reviewed by The Desk.
Questex is best known in media circles as the producer of the annual StreamTV Show, which wrapped up its latest event in Denver last month. The event continues to grow, with more than 2,200 registered attendees this year, a 30 percent increase compared to 2025. StreamTV Show is expanding to four days next year, with the event set to return in early August 2027.
StreamTV Show also launched a spin-off event focused on Europe this year, and will return to the continent in early 2027. A third regional show will take place in Hong Kong in 2027, with exact dates to be announced later. StreamTV Show is supported by StreamTV Insider, a business-to-business publication that serves as a marketing vehicle for the industry event.
Other Questex media properties include Fierce Sensors, Fierce Network and Fierce Pharma, all of which have associated events throughout the year.
Emerald has complementary marketing publications that connect to similar enterprise-level events covering a wide range of industries from retail, manufacturing, food, pharmaceutical, advertising, luxury goods, action sports and technology. Some of the company’s better-known publications include Retail Touchpoints, RFID Journal, Shop Eat Surf, CE Pro and the marijuana publication MJ Biz Daily.
Apollo’s acquisition of Questex and Emerald was first announced in May. The asset management firm said the deal was predicated on the desire to combine both businesses in order to create “a leading North American (business-to-business) experiential events and media platform.”
The all-cash transaction saw Emerald shareholders paid $1.5 billion in cash, or $5.03 per share, a premium price of over 42 percent, Apollo said. Emerald is now a privately-held company. Financial terms for the Questex portion of the deal were not disclosed.
“This transaction combines two market leaders with iconic brands, deep customer relationships, and differentiated capabilities, to create a scaled platform positioned to accelerate organic growth, invest in innovation, and deliver even greater value for customers, employees and other stakeholders,” Apollo Managing Director Shahid Bosan said in a statement. “We look forward to supporting and working closely with the leadership team as they build a leading B2B events and media business.”
Questex and Emerald will be fully integrated over the next several months, Apollo said.
In addition to Questex and Emerald, Apollo owns controlling stakes in online platform Yahoo and broadcaster Cox Media Group. Two years ago, the company partnered with Sony to formalize a $26 billion all-cash bid for Paramount Global, which proved unsuccessful.
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Disclosure: The author of this story was a contributor to StreamTV Insider, formerly Fierce Video, from August 2021 to February 2024 and received compensation from Questex for his contributions during that time. Additionally, The Desk served as an editorial partner of the StreamTV Show this year.
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