GL events

Name

GL events

Legal name

GL events Support

Website

https://gl-events.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Management Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGAHAB

Trade Shows & Industry Expos (B2B)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Corporate & Private Events (Galas, Product Launches)

SECONDARYMPAGAGAM

Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Conventions & Conferences (Business Events)

SECONDARYMPAGAHAA

Corporate Meetings & Conferences (Internal/External Business Events)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Corporate & Private Events (Galas, Product Launches)

SECONDARYMPAGALAH

Festival Grounds & Fairgrounds Operations

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Event Venues & Venue Operations (Arenas, Theaters, Halls)

Keywords

• Event production services
• Trade show organization
• Venue management
• Exhibition management
• Event infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices26 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Event Production Services (Live): GL events Live generates revenue by providing comprehensive event production services including engineering, construction of structures and tribunes, installation, audiovisual, energy distribution, furniture, signage, and hospitality services. Revenue is project-based, driven by event volume and size, with key operations across 90+ agencies globally.
2. Exhibition Organization & Management (Exhibitions): GL events Exhibitions owns and operates 150 events including trade and consumer shows (e.g., Première Vision, Global Industrie, Sirha, CACLP, Aquasur, Hyvolution). Revenue comes from exhibitor fees, visitor tickets, sponsorships, and related services. The division has 720 employees and generated €238.1M in revenue.
3. Venue Management & Rental (Venues): GL events Venues manages 60+ sites globally (convention centers, exhibition parks, arenas, stadiums) under concession and management agreements with public and private partners. Revenue is generated through venue rental, event hosting fees, and ancillary services. The division generated €514.1M in revenue and hosts 4,380+ events annually.
4. Sports Venue Operations: Through GL events Sports and partnerships with sports federations, the Group operates and manages sports venues (e.g., Matmut Stadium Lyon Gerland, Stade de France under concession), generating revenue from events, naming rights, and venue services.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

GL events is an integrated global events company operating three complementary divisions: GL events Live (event production and technical services covering 14 expertise areas including structures, audiovisual, seating, energy, signage, and hospitality), GL events Exhibitions (organizes 150 proprietary trade shows and consumer events across fashion, food, industry, healthcare, hydrogen, aquaculture, and outdoor sectors), and GL events Venues (manages 60+ venue sites globally including convention centers, exhibition parks, arenas, and stadiums). The company serves enterprises, institutions, and governments with single-source contracting across the entire events value chain.

Product overview

GL events is a global event management company organized around three complementary business units: GL events Live (event design and technical services with 14 expertise areas), GL events Exhibitions (trade show organization with 150+ proprietary events), and GL events Venues (60+ managed venue sites globally). The portfolio includes flagship event brands such as Sirha (food service/hospitality), Première Vision (fashion), Hyvolution (hydrogen energy), CACLP (in vitro diagnostics), Aquasur (aquaculture), and Global Industrie (industry). Supporting services include Live by GL events for consulting, GL events Sports for venue management, and the Observatoire International de la Création for industry analysis. Revenue is distributed across Venues (€514.1M), Live (€968.8M), and Exhibitions (€238.1M).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GL events Live: Event services division offering complete event solutions from design to execution
• GL events Exhibitions
• GL events Venues
• Live by GL events
• GL events Sports
• GL events Support
• GL events Exhibitions Operations (GLEXO)
• GL events Exhibitions Industrie (GLEXI)

Products and services

• GL events Live Full-service event production provider offering 14 areas of expertise including event engineering, design and organization, grandstand seating, structures, stadiums and arenas, general installation, energy, booth/exhibit stands, layout/furnishing, signage, audiovisual, furniture, and hospitality services. Targets corporations, institutions, and associations needing event production.
• GL events Exhibitions Professional and public trade show organizer covering industry, fashion, food, healthcare, energy, aquaculture, and outdoor sectors. Manages 150 proprietary events including flagship brands like Sirha, Première Vision, Hyvolution, CACLP, Global Industrie, Aquasur, and Paris Randos Nature. Generates revenue from exhibitor fees, visitor tickets, and sponsorships.
• GL events Venues International network of 60+ event venues across France, Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa including convention centers, exhibition parks, receptive venues, and multifunctional halls. Operates under concession and management agreements with public and private partners. Generated €514.1M revenue and hosts 4,380+ events annually across 2.4 million square meters of event space.
• Sirha International food service, hospitality, and food industry biennial trade show with editions in Lyon, Arabia, and Budapest. Includes Bocuse d'Or, World Pastry Cup, and International Catering Cup competitions. Sirha Lyon features 4,000 exhibitors across 140,000 m².
• Première Vision International fashion materials and creative marketplace with editions in Paris and Milan. Features Smart Création, Fashion District, and Denim sector focus. Première Vision Paris hosted 930 exhibitors from 40+ countries and ~8,000 companies represented.
• Hyvolution International hydrogen energy transition event covering production, storage, distribution, infrastructure, industrial uses, and mobility. Present in Paris, Chile, and Canada. Hyvolution Paris 2025 attracted 15,000 professionals from 65 countries and 550 exhibitors.
• CACLP China International In Vitro Diagnostics Expo, a major international IVD platform covering raw materials to clinical applications. Features AI zones and CRO spaces. CACLP 2025 in Hangzhou hosted 1,350 exhibitors and 45,000+ visitors from 60+ countries across 130,000 m².
• Aquasur International aquaculture trade show in Patagonia, Chile organized by FISA (GL events Chile). Features data analysis, robotics, and marine ecosystem health technologies. Aquasur 2026 attracted 30,959 visitors and 550 exhibitor companies from 34 countries across 20,000 m².
• Global Industrie Major French industry trade show featuring 2,300 exhibitors, 34,000 visitors, and 6,000 youth participants. Includes Golden Tech competitions and GI Awards, covering industrial manufacturing and engineering sectors.
• Paris Randos Nature Public hiking and outdoor activities event at Parc Floral de Paris, part of outdoor/hiking ecosystem including Salon du Randonneur (Lyon) and Occ'Ygène (Toulouse). First edition expecting 100+ exhibitors.
• Paysalia-Rocalia

Quantifiable outcome

• Paris 2024 Olympics: 70% of temporary installations, energy distribution, and equestrian events delivered; 60 sites across Paris and regions.
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and regional.

• Cosmetic ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 July 2026GL events Exhibitions' Mode Division and Cosmetic Valley announced a strategic partnership to create bridges between two French excellence sectors: fashion and beauty. The partnership aims to foster new collaborations between creators, industry, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The first concrete initiative will be a Cosmetic Village at Première Vision Paris in September 2026, featuring beauty brands alongside fashion exhibitors.
• AGEFIPHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026GL events signed a three-year convention with AGEFIPH (the leading French organization for professional inclusion of people with disabilities) to structure and strengthen the Group's Diversity & Inclusion policy. The partnership covers the entire employee journey from recruitment to career development, including integration, training, prevention, and job retention. The agreement includes two paid days per year for medical appointments and CESU voucher support for beneficiaries.
• Visit.BrusselscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Visit.Brussels co-founded the Brussels Convention Street initiative with SQUARE – Brussels Convention Centre (a GL events Venues site). The initiative transforms central Brussels into an integrated congress district, combining multiple cultural and event venues within walking distance.
• BOZAR (Palais des Beaux-Arts)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026BOZAR is one of the four partner cultural institutions in the Brussels Convention Street initiative, offering its event spaces for integrated congress use alongside SQUARE and other partner venues.
• KBR – Bibliothèque Royale de BelgiqueflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026KBR (Royal Library of Belgium) is a partner institution in the Brussels Convention Street initiative, contributing its heritage event spaces to the integrated congress district.
• Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de BelgiqueflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium participate in Brussels Convention Street, providing exhibition and event spaces to the integrated congress quarter.
• Musée BELvueflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The Musée BELvue is a partner in Brussels Convention Street, contributing its event and exhibition spaces to the integrated congress district.
• Sirha Arabia Partners (Saudi Arabian)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Sirha Arabia is organized by GL events Exhibitions in collaboration with Saudi Arabian partners. The 2025 edition brought together 8,000+ visitors and 280+ brands, adapting the proven Sirha format to the Saudi market under local partnerships.
• COP16 Riyadh (UNCCD)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024GL events provided comprehensive event production and management services for the COP16 United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification summit in Riyadh in 2024, designing and building 100,000 m² of temporary conference infrastructure in 90 days.
• Business France – Hosted Guests ProgramregionalGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024GL events Exhibitions' Première Vision partnered with Business France on the Hosted Guests program, facilitating 1,500 matchmaking meetings between 230 international industry leaders and exhibitors at Première Vision Paris 2024.
• Bocuse d'Or, Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, Catering CupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023GL events organizes and hosts the Bocuse d'Or, Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, and Catering Cup at Sirha Lyon. These are the world's most prestigious culinary competitions, attracting chefs from 56 countries and reinforcing Sirha's global leadership position in food service.
• Matmut (Naming Rights – Matmut Stadium)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Matmut holds the naming rights for Matmut Stadium Lyon Gerland (formerly Stade de Gerland). The partnership was extended through 2031. The stadium is home to LOU Rugby and serves as a multi-functional event venue.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Fira Barcelona: Fira Barcelona is one of Europe's largest venue operators and trade show organizers, with a comparable venue portfolio plus proprietary events (Alimentaria, Mobile World Congress venue). Strong regional overlap with GL events in Southern Europe.

Broad incumbents

• RX Global (Reed Exhibitions): RX Global is RELX's exhibitions business, running 400+ events across 40+ sectors. It is a major broad incumbent comparable to GL events' trade show portfolio and a likely competitor for flagship brands.
• Informa Markets: Informa Markets is the exhibitions/events arm of Informa plc, operating hundreds of branded trade shows globally. It overlaps heavily with GL events Exhibitions (Premi\u00e8re Vision vertical, fashion/industry events) and is a much larger broad incumbent.

Direct peers

• Comexposium: Comexposium is a France-based privately held trade show organizer with 200+ proprietary events, directly comparable to GL events Exhibitions and overlapping in French and international exhibition markets.
• MCH Group: MCH Group is a Swiss publicly listed events company with Live (MCH Global), Exhibitions, and Venues (Messe Basel, Messe Z\u00fcrich) divisions. It mirrors GL events' integrated three-pillar model and is the closest European peer in scale and structure.
• dmg events: dmg events is a privately held international exhibition organizer active in adjacency-rich sectors (energy, construction, hospitality). Comparable to GL events Exhibitions in the Middle East and Africa expansion thesis and overlapping with Sirha, Hyvolution, and Global Industrie verticals.
• Koelnmesse: Koelnmesse operates one of the world's largest exhibition campus venues and runs 80+ trade fairs, comparable to GL events Venues and Exhibitions. Public sector ownership makes it a regional/incumbent European peer.
• Deutsche Messe: Deutsche Messe operates the Hannover exhibition grounds and runs industrial trade fairs (HANNOVER MESSE, DOMOTEX, LIGNA). Comparable to GL events Venues/Exhibitions, particularly in industry verticals via Global Industrie.
• Freeman: Freeman is the largest North American event production and brand experience company, directly comparable to GL events Live division. It provides audiovisual, staging, signage, and event services globally and competes for the same corporate event spend.
• GES (Global Experience Specialists): GES is a global event production and experiential marketing company under Viad Corp, comparable to GL events Live for corporate event services, exhibit fabrication, and audiovisual across North America, Europe, and the Middle East.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gl-events

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GL events