CORPORATE NEWSwww.exhibition-world.net Issue 2 | 20127UNITED KINGDOMEMAP EVENT BUSINESS REBRANDED I2I AS PART OF GROUP RESTRUCTUREUK-based media group Emap has announced a major restructure that sees its business operations split and rebranded into three distinct operating companies covering events, information services and publishing.Emap Connect, the exhibition, large-scale conferences and events division that accounts for 44 per cent of the total group's turnover, has been rebranded i2i Events Group with a focus on global growth. It is led by Mark Shashoua (pictured) who was appointed MD of Emap Connect last November.Emap as a whole has been rebranded to Top Right Group to refl ect the structural change and the organisation's long-term growth and high performance aspirations, the company said in a statement. Media commentators have also pointed out the restructure paves the way for a potential sell-off of any one of the three divisions.Emap was acquired by Eden Bidco, a joint venture between Apax and Guardian Media Group, in 2008.Its information services business, including WGSN and Customer Insight, will now be known as 4C Group. Former Thomson Reuters global head of exchange traded instruments, Stephen Wilson, joined 4C in April to lead the business. The Emap brand has been retained by the group's now standalone publishing and associated events business, led by Natasha Christie-Miller.ASIAGlobal Sources grew its revenue in the fourth quarter of last year by 17 per cent, a result driven by a 20 per cent rise in online business and growth in exhibition revenue.The company, organiser of the Gift and Premium Trade Shows at Hong Kong's AsiaWorld-Expo (pictured), recorded good performances at its exhibitions, matched by a strength in its online products and services.Global Sources exhibitions revenue for the fourth quarter was US$35.5m, compared GLOBAL SOURCES Q4 REVENUE UP 17 PER CENTwith $29.9m for 2010, while online revenue rose to $30.5m from $25.5m.Total revenue for the fourth quarter of 2011 was $74m, up on the 2010 fi gure of $63m and inclusive of $6.4m in print revenue. In keeping with its global strategy, revenue from mainland China accounted for $59.6m of this fi gure, up $48.9m on 2010."We had a good quarter driven by continued strength in our online and exhibition businesses," said Global Sources executive chairman Merle Hinrichs. "Looking to the fi rst half of 2012, we expect the challenging economic environment to impact our growth. However, despite the soft economic outlook we are optimistic on several fronts." Hinrichs added that exporters need to identify new buyers and open new markets and that the company has been "aggressively" building its buyer community in emerging markets.AUSTRALIATENDER PUT OUT FOR SYDNEY REDEVELOPMENTThe Premier of Australian state New South Wales has announced the tender for the Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct.The tender confi rms the functional brief and development timelines for the new precinct, which will see the existing Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre close in late 2013 and new facilities open in 2016.The proposed facilities include 40,000sqm in exhibition space, fl exible plenary spaces with a combined capacity of at least 10,000 delegates, and banqueting facilities for a minimum of 4,000 people. Facilities would also cater to sporting, musical and theatrical events for at least 12,000 people, a hotel and retail area.EUROPECENTREX TO ATTRACT YOUNGER GENERATION International exhibition statistics union Centrex has launched a new initiative for university and business school students.The Central and East European exhibition organisation's new 'Call for Papers' invites students to take part in an international competition on the future of trade fairs, gaining an assessment from the younger generation on how it sees, conceives and imagines trade shows will develop by 2020 and beyond. The initiative involves students from institutes in Centrex member countries, which comprise Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Ukraine. A spokesman said the initiative is hoped to promote "familiarity, acceptance and deployment of fair visits as part of life".3,600The number of stands at Global Sources' spring electronics fairs, up 19% on 2011