Twenty-five years after its founding in Hong Kong by Paul Woodward, Business Strategies Group (BSG), a consultancy focused on the Asian business events and exhibitions industry, will transition to new ownership.
An agreement has been reached for the current managing director, Mark Cochrane, to acquire the company.
Since its inception in 2000, BSG has provided specialised research and advisory services to over 200 international businesses and government organisations within the region. The firm also manages the Asia-Pacific office for UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, a role Cochrane currently holds as regional director.
The transfer of ownership will be a phased process, with completion expected in March 2027. Woodward will remain actively involved with BSG as chairman and senior advisor.
Cochrane joined BSG as a consultant in 2006 and assumed the role of managing director in 2010 when Woodward moved to Paris to serve as CEO of UFI, a position he held until the end of 2015.
BSG’s clientele includes a diverse range of stakeholders in the business events sector, such as exhibition organisers, venues, private equity funds, and government bodies like convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs) and tourism boards. The consultancy offers a comprehensive suite of services, including business development strategy, competitive intelligence, portfolio analysis, feasibility studies, launch planning, and commercial due diligence. Additionally, BSG provides representation services.
Beyond its consultancy work, BSG has managed the Asia-Pacific office of UFI since 2004 and maintained a continuous partnership with the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau since 2006, overseeing TCEB’s exhibition-related activities in Greater China.
