Reed Business Information is a provider of business information, data and marketing solutions in multiple formats
Reed Business Information (RBI) provides data services, information and marketing solutions to business professionals in the UK, the US, Continental Europe, Asia and Australia. It produces industry critical data services and lead generation tools, and over 100 online community and job sites. It publishes over 100 business magazines with market leading positions in many sectors.
RBI’s data services enable businesses and professionals to enhance productivity through quicker and easier access to insightful and comprehensive industry information. Online marketing solutions, business to business magazines, online lead generation services and community websites provide effective marketing channels for advertisers to reach target audiences and for industry professionals to access valued information.
In 2010, RBI was significantly restructured and refocused, to reflect the reduction in revenues caused by recession, the accelerated migration of customer marketing spend to web media, and the continued growth and opportunity in data services. During the year, the sale and closure of the US controlled circulation magazines and certain other titles were completed, together with the sale of RBI Germany and clusters of titles in the Netherlands, UK, Italy, Spain, France, Ireland and Asia.
The business was redefined and is now managed by key asset groups – data services, online marketing solutions, leading brands, and other magazine brands/websites – and specific strategies and action plans have been developed for each group.
RBI’s market-leading data services include ICIS, a global information and pricing service for the petrochemicals and energy sector; Bankers Almanac, a leading provider of reference data on the banking industry; XpertHR, an online service providing HR data, regulatory guidance, best practices and tools for HR professionals; and Reed Construction Data, a provider of online construction data to the North American construction industry. In 2010, RBI entered into an agreement to increase its interest in CBI China, the market leading petrochemical and energy information service in China, and now has majority ownership. This transaction was completed in January 2011 and has brought ICIS unrivalled coverage of the important and growing Chinese and Asian chemicals and energy markets, considerably strengthening its global position.
The major online marketing solutions include: totaljobs.com, a major UK online recruitment site; and Hotfrog, a global online business directory. Premier publishing brands include Variety in the US, New Scientist in the UK and the Elsevier magazine in the Netherlands.
Market Opportunities
The growing need for authoritative industry data and information is driving demand for online subscription data services and providing new opportunities. Business to business marketing spend has historically been driven by levels of corporate profitability, which itself has followed GDP growth, and business investment.
Strategic Priorities
RBI’s strategic goal is to help business professionals achieve better outcomes with information and decision support in its individual markets. Its areas of strategic focus are: further growing the data services businesses; capturing the economic recovery in the major online marketing solutions businesses; restructuring the business magazines and advertising driven portfolio, to develop online services in key markets and support print franchises through brand extensions and redesign; and to realign the cost base with revenue expectations and drive further organisational effectiveness.
Distribution Channels and Competition
Across the RBI portfolio, user and subscription revenues now account for 59% of the total business with the remaining 41% derived from print and online advertising and lead generation. RBI electronic revenue streams now account for 46% of total revenue.
Data services are typically sold directly on a subscription or transactional basis. Business magazines are distributed on a paid or controlled circulation basis. Advertising and lead generation revenues are sold directly or through agents.
RBI’s data services and titles compete with a number of publishers on a service and title by title basis including: UBM, McGraw Hill, Wolters Kluwer and Incisive as well as many niche and privatelyowned competitors. RBI competes for online advertising with other business to business websites as well as Monster, Google and other search engines.
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