On Tuesday, event company Questex announced it had acquired The Conference Forum, a research and conference development firm specializing in life sciences, and Versalinx Global Events, a conference organizer focused on pharmaceutical market research and competitive intelligence.
“The two acquisitions will fit really well into our current Fierce Healthcare and Life Sciences portfolio. The Conference Forum propels us into areas like clinical trials whereas Versalinx Global Events adds competitive intelligence and market research in the pharma area to our strong go-to market position,” said Paul Miller, CEO of Questex.
Financial terms were not disclosed. Questex, which is owned by New York–based private equity firm MidOcean Partners, now reports roughly 300 employees and $130 million in annual revenue.
“We’ve doubled the size of our business after a seven-year hold period and have been on a really good trajectory,” said Miller. “Organic growth has been number one, supplemented by accelerated M&A activity. We are now firing on all eight cylinders.”
These latest deals add to Questex’s aggressive expansion strategy. In July 2025, the company acquired the event and media assets of Affordable Housing Finance and Multifamily Executive from Zonda Home, also owned by MidOcean Partners. Earlier acquisitions include the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum, which saw a 29% revenue increase and 60% new attendees in 2024, and the Digital Signage Expo in 2021.
New Business Units Created
This multi-vertical growth has led to the creation of new business units, such as the Hospitality & Operational Real Estate division led by Group President Alexi Khajavi.
The Conference Forum, known for six prominent events including DPHARM and Partnership Opportunities in Drug Delivery, brings a database of 100,000 qualified pharma professionals to Questex’s base of 1.5 million healthcare and life sciences contacts. Five of its six events introduce new biopharma categories for Questex.
Co-founders Valerie Bowling and Meredith Sands will join Questex along with their team.
Meanwhile, Versalinx Global Events, which hosts five conferences in the U.S. and Europe, including the Pharma Market Research Conference East, will also integrate into Questex’s Fierce Healthcare & Life Sciences portfolio.
“Our communities have embraced the incredible growth of the Fierce brands and events,” said Rhiannon James, group president overseeing healthcare, life sciences, technology, and wellness. “By adding The Conference Forum and Versalinx Global Events, we’re expanding our reach, deepening our impact, and accelerating growth across the entire life sciences value chain.”
Miller agrees. “Our Fierce business has been growing rapidly and we expect to expand the offerings, the footprint and the solution set,” he said.
