Apollo Global Management, the large private equity company that recently acquired both Emerald Holdings and Questex, announced this month the creation of a new corporate entity that will manage and control the combined business of both trade show aggregators from this point forward. That new corporate parent will be known as Forge.
Learn more about Forge and its connection to Emerald and Questex…
In the formal announcement of the creation of Forge, Apollo noted that it will sit above all of Emerald’s and Questex’s individual events and media properties, while those will all continue under their existing names.
From the beginning, Apollo announced its intentions to combine the businesses of both Emerald and Questex to create a singular leading live event exposition company that would supersede the Emerald and Questex brands. This announcement creates the structure that will exist to manage and control the combined properties previously owned by the individual companies.
Questex CEO Paul Miller Named CEO of Forge
Strata-gee first announced the acquisition of Emerald and Questex in May 2026. That transaction was completed in July at which point Apollo recommitted to combining the two brands. Apollo’s formal release in July also revealed that Paul Miller would assume the role of CEO for the combined entity. Miller was the CEO of Questex. Also, the company revealed that Emerald’s CEO, Hervé Sedkey, would transition to the role of senior advisor to the combined company.
At the same time, the company announced it has made several other appointments to the executive leadership team:
- Vince DiMaggio was named Chief Financial Officer (formerly Emerald)
- Issa Jouaneh was named Chief Operating Officer (formerly Emerald)
- Kate Spellman was named Chief Commercial Officer (formerly Questex)
- Kurt Nelson was named Chief Talent Officer (formerly Questex)
- Sara Altschul was named Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary (formerly Emerald)
Quickly Integrating Two Big Businesses
The Apollo announcement said the company was quickly driving to full integration of the two brands. Considering how complex integrating companies can be, it is surprising how quickly the company is moving. In fact, upon this prepared statement in July, Emerald’s stock ceased trading and will no longer be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Just weeks after the July actions, this month the company announced that the new corporate name will be Forge. And while that marks the end of the Emerald and Questex brands, Forge comes out of the gate as a leading global B2B and media company serving customers through live events, digital media, data, and year-round communities.
New Brand Name ‘Forge’ was Intentionally Selected
As the company notes, the name is intentional. “To forge is to bring distinct strengths together, through pressure and precision, to build something stronger than either could be alone.”
Apollo says, “Forge brings that idea to life by creating relationships and connections that help customers anticipate what’s next and move their industries forward. This purpose is captured in the company’s new brand promise, ‘Moving Markets.'”
The Largest B2B Events & Media Company in North America
Today marks the beginning of Forge, a company built on the strengths of Emerald and Questex. Together we are now the largest B2B events and media company in North America, and one of the largest in the world. We’re helping customers see what is ahead and connect with the people who matter most to them, backed by the data, talent and scale to deliver measurable value year-round. Under Apollo Funds’ ownership, we will keep investing in our products, our people and the markets we serve. That’s what it means to move markets.”
Paul Miller, Forge Chief Executive Officer
Finally, Forge has also announced its Board of Directors. In addition to CEO Miller and representatives of Apollo Funds, the Board’s independent directors include:
- Andy Bird – former President of Walt Disney International and former CEO of Pearson
- Lara Boro – former CEO of The Economist Group and former CEO of Informa
- Simon Kimble – former CEO and Executive Chairman of Clarion Events
We’ll Wait to See How This All Plays Out
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. In my experience, bigger is not always better. I’ve spoken with many exhibitors who expressed skepticism at the news of the CEDIA Expo now moving a step further down the private equity pipeline.
Learn more about Forge by visiting forgelive.com.
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