Centaur Media has announced a 1% revenue increase across its marketing and creative portfolio in the group’s interim financial results, alongside the portfolio’s new leadership structure. The portfolio comprises Econsultancy, Marketing Week, Creative Review, Celebrity Intelligence, Fashion Monitor and Design Week.
Centaur Marketing’s success is underpinned by growth in its paid-for digital revenues, which were up by an average of 30% over the first six months of 2014. The Profile Group (Celebrity Intelligence and Fashion Monitor) and Econsultancy’s digital paid-for content revenues grew by 35% and 38% respectively.
The growth of this portfolio has been supported by the early settlement of the Econsultancy acquisition. The brand has recently been fully incorporated into Centaur Marketing. The incorporation of Econsultancy is anticipated to present further opportunity to accelerate revenue growth across the portfolio.
Centaur Marketing anticipates additional revenue growth with the planned launch of Fashion Monitor US this September, following the expansion of Celebrity Intelligence into the US late last year.
The new marketing and creative portfolio is headed up by Katharine Plunkett who was recently appointed Managing Director. Katharine, who was behind the acquisition and integration of the Profile Group in 2012, will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the division, including ensuring the Group delivers against its revenue and profit ambitions, and maintains its position as a multi-platform media business serving the marketing and creative industries.
The Group has also appointed Econsultancy founder Ashley Friedlein as President of the portfolio. In this new non-executive role, he will be responsible for the overall vision of the portfolio and key product development.
Centaur’s award-winning content is at the foundation of the marketing and creative portfolio’s financial achievements. It was recently awarded Event of the Year for the inaugural Festival of Marketing and Digital Product of the Year for launch of Celebrity Intelligence, at the PPA Awards.
Andria Vidler, Group CEO, Centaur Media Plc said: “As the interim financial results show, the outlook across the marketing and creative portfolio is positive and encouraging. The recently introduced portfolio structure provides a solid foundation from which to flourish, supported by a strong leadership team.
“The achievements in this portfolio have been facilitated by its range of excellent content across live events, digital products and print magazines. Our award-winning marketing and creative products resonate and appeal to our audiences, because they don’t just meet their needs, but inspire and enable them to realise their ambitions.”
