CMP Technology Is Latest to Reorganize

CMP Technology is the latest major business-to-business company to reorganize itself into divisions that serve specific sectors through multiple vehicles. It has formed four divisions that each will offer events, print publications and online services. The United Business Media division reorganization follows similar moves by Nielsen Business Media and Advanstar Communications.

“This company has changed profoundly,” said United Business Media CEO David Levin, pointing out that, while CMP derived 75 percent of its revenue from print products as recently as 2004, last year it derived 34 percent of its revenue from events, 20 percent from online products and 38 percent from print products. “CMP was a great print company that had a grand legacy, but there is now no need for that centralized entity,” he added.

All four new divisions will be managed by executives already with CMP Technology:

• Led by Tony Uphoff, TechWeb, formerly CMP's business technology group, will focus on technology. Its tradeshows include Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat and VoiceCon.
• Robert Faletra will lead Everything Channel, formerly the CMP Channel, focusing on indirect sales channels through events like Xchange and Vision.
• TechInsights, formerly CMP's electronics group, will be led by Paul Miller, and supply information to the electronics industry. Among its events are the Embedded Systems conferences.
• Philip Chapnick will lead Think Services, formerly CMP's group for gaming, Dr. Dobb's and international customer management. One of its flagship events is the Game Developers Conference.

In other reorganization news, Nielsen Business Media has formed an entertainment group that will include ShoWest, ShowEast, Cinema Expo Intl. and CineAsia Exposition, as well print publications such as Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter and Back Stage.

Senior Vice President Gerry Byrne will head up the group. Byrne has worked for Nielsen in an advisory capacity since early 2007. He was previously vice president and publisher of Variety and Daily Variety.

The most recent reorganization at Nielsen was motivated by the same kinds of forces Levin spoke of at UBM.

“Over the past several years, the entertainment industry has changed,” said Nielsen Business Media President Greg Farrar. “It no longer operates in a segmented way, but approaches the business as a whole regardless of the platform or medium.”