Event management and hospitality company Smart Group has acquired boutique London event management company Story Events.
Story Events will join Smart Group’s event management arm Smart Live, alongside the groups’ divisions Evolution London, Oceandiva London, Smart Parties, Moving Venue and Last Supper.
Story Events organises exhibitions including the London Summer Event Show and London Christmas Party Show. Story Event’s sister brand Venue Search London will trade separately under its current ownership.
Smart Live will integrate with Story Event’s team at its 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 its existing events.
Story Events will continue to be overseen by managing directors Rosalind Shelley and Stephanie Daniels. Owner and director Sam Gill will maintain a chairman role on the board.
Smart Live specialises in end-to-end project management of 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.
Smart Group said Story Events will benefit from being part of a larger business with “continued control over its supply chain”.
Chloe Jackson, managing director of Smart Group, said: “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.”
Rosalind Shelley, managing director of Story Events said: “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 Events’ founder director said: “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.”
The 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.
