Smart Group Acquires Story Events

The UK’s leading event management and hospitality company, Smart Group, has acquired award-winning, boutique London event management company Story Events. Two brands synonymous with London’s events and hospitality sector will join together in this Smart Group Ltd acquisition. Story Events joins the groups’ existing creative event management arm, Smart Live, alongside the groups’ divisions Evolution London, Oceandiva London, Smart Parties, Moving Venue and Last Supper.

Smart Live specialise in end-to-end project management of both large and small-scale events from award ceremonies, product launches, high-tech virtual events, conferences, and corporate away days with clients including JTI, Chivas and TJX.

Story Events create the most unique, unusual and exciting events, designing and producing ideas with clients including Waitrose, Revlon and Together For Short Lives. They are the owners and operators of the UK’s leading and award-winning event exhibitions including the London Summer Event Show and London Christmas Party Show.

Story Events will benefit from this strategic bolt-on acquisition with Smart Group’s buying power and the opportunity of being part of a larger business with continued control over its supply chain.

Following the acquisition, Smart Live, Smart Group’s own creative event management company, will integrate with Story Event’s team at their London Bridge headquarters. Story Events will continue to operate as an independent agency with the structure of the brand remaining the same, continuing to deliver events such as the London Summer Event Show and London Christmas Party Show.

Story Events will continue to be overseen by Managing Directors, Rosalind Shelley, Stephanie Daniels and Melanie Miles with Sam Gill, the current owner and Director, maintaining a chairman role on the board and all staff retaining the same positions.

Story Events’ sister brand, Venue Search London will continue to trade separately under it’s current ownership, working closely with the Story team from their shared London offices.

Chloe Jackson, Managing Director of Smart Group Ltd commented: ‘We have worked closely with the team at Story for many years and have long admired their reputation for delivering unique and innovative events. We were delighted to be presented with the opportunity by Sam and Dominique Gill and are grateful to them and the senior team for entrusting us to maintain the independent brand identity they have enjoyed thus far. 2023 is shaping up to be an exciting time for Smart Group as we continue to grow, and this latest acquisition represents a fantastic opportunity for all involved due to our combined strengths and alignment on our core purpose: to deliver outstanding events for our respective clients.’

Rosalind Shelley, Managing Director of Story Events commented: ‘This is a great opportunity for Story Events to benefit from Smart Group’s strong business position. We look forward to collaborating with Smart Group and Smart Live, combining our creative minds to deliver events that are autonomous and synonymous in which our clients have enjoyed over the years.’

Sam Gill, Story’s Founder Director commented: “After ten years of building such a strong brand and team, I am looking forward to working with the leadership team to deliver the next chapter in Story’s exciting and continuing journey”.

This new acquisition follows the subsequent arrival of the Smart Groups’ latest venue, Oceandiva London, the UK’s first CO2-neutral event space on the river Thames set to revolutionise the events and hospitality sector.