Angus Montgomery becomes the majority shareholder of FIT Events
FIT Events, organiser of the FIT Show, has announced changes in its shareholding structure. Angus Montgomery, which has been organising events globally since 1895, has become the majority shareholder. Co-founders Matthew Glover and Paul Godwin remain shareholders and directors of the company with Matthew as Chairman, as does Event Director Nickie West. John Beaty, an investor in the business since 2015, has relinquished his shareholding and left the business. In most other respects the business remains unchanged. Matthew Glover explained the decision: “The FIT Show has gone from strength to strength thanks to tremendous support from the industry, whose loyalty we hope we have returned by producing a show that connects the whole of the window, door and related glass and glazing industry. With growth of the FIT Show in such a relatively short time, coupled with ambitious plans for its future development, it became clear that we would benefit from expertise and investment. One of our shareholders expressed a desire to leave the business and that left us with the opportunity to seek other partners and Angus Montgomery, a well established, highly experienced international organiser of a large portfolio of events, expressed a keen interest to become involved. Paul, Nickie and I have looked closely at what Angus Montgomery can bring to the FIT Show and Visit Glass and we are unanimous in our decision to join with them.
“Other than the ownership structure of the company there will be few discernible changes: The FIT Show will continue not just as it has done in the past but with the sales, marketing, operations and administration team all remaining in place. However, we are now strengthened through more robust internal systems and structures and through the expertise that will come through working with one of the world’s longest established exhibition organisers.”
Angus Montgomery is a fifth generation family business. It is responsible for events within the building and construction sector including ‘W’, the UK national show for the joinery and furniture industries, Surface Design Show, Interbuild Africa and Glass Expo Africa, the latter of which take place in Johannesburg biennially. The company has events in a wide range of other sectors including Art and Photography, Food and Drink, Hospitality, Security and many others, operating a total of 55 events worldwide. Angus Montgomery’s MD Damion Angus said: “We have been very aware of the FIT Show and the tremendous success that the event has become since its first show in 2013; it is greatly admired in the exhibition industry. Becoming involved with the event and the people behind it will greatly enhance our activities in the sector specifically and our events overall and we believe we can offer a great deal of experience to the FIT Show and its exhibitors – this is very much a two-way arrangement. We are very excited to be working with Matthew, Paul and Nickie and the rest of the team.”