MidOcean Partners Signs Definitive Agreement to Exit Questex

MidOcean Partners signed a definitive agreement on May 11, 2026 to sell Questex to funds managed by Apollo (NYSE: APO), marking MidOcean’s second liquidity event this month.

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Marks the Firm’s Second Liquidity Event This Month and Another Successful Exit for MidOcean’s Business Services Vertical

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- MidOcean Partners (“MidOcean” or the “Firm”), a premier New York-based alternative asset manager specializing in middle market private equity, alternative credit, and structured equity, announced today the signing of the sale of Questex, LLC (“Questex” or the “Company”) to funds managed by Apollo (NYSE: APO) (“Apollo”). Questex is a leading information services and event platform company focused on the experience economy. The Company connects buyers and sellers across industries including hospitality, travel, wellness, life sciences, and technology through its integrated portfolio of live events, digital media, and data-driven marketing services.

With a diversified portfolio of industry-leading brands, Questex delivers year-round engagement through in-person events, digital content, and actionable data insights. The Company serves a global audience of over 6 million business professionals and decision-makers. Professionals turn to Questex to unlock growth through high-value connections, market intelligence, and innovative marketing solutions. Its flagship events and media platforms are recognized as premier destinations within their respective verticals and are supported by a strong reputation for content quality and audience reach.

MidOcean executed a focused value creation strategy that expanded Questex’s offerings from what was purely in-person events to a full portfolio of both in person and virtual solutions powered by audience insights. This expansion playbook was informed by former MidOcean portfolio company, Penton, which was the largest privately held B2B information services company in North America prior to its $1.6 billion sale to Informa PLC in November 2016. During the Firm’s ownership of Questex, the Company expanded its portfolio through seven strategic add-on acquisitions, invested heavily in digital and data capabilities, optimized its event portfolio by scaling flagship brands, and launched new and geo-cloned events.

Sara Badham, Managing Director at MidOcean, commented, “We are proud to have partnered with the Questex management team during a period of meaningful growth and strategic transformation. Together, we more than doubled the Company’s scale and growth rates and positioned the business for continued growth ahead. We are grateful to the Questex leadership team for their partnership and look forward to watching the businesses thrive.”

“It’s been a true pleasure working with Sara, Board Chair David Kieselstein, and the MidOcean team. Their strategic insight and support were instrumental in accelerating our growth and evolution. We’re excited to partner with Apollo to continue delivering exceptional value to our customers and expanding our global platform,” added Paul Miller, CEO of Questex.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP served as legal advisor to MidOcean.

About MidOcean Partners

MidOcean Partners is a premier New York-based alternative asset manager specializing in middle-market private equity, alternative credit, and structured equity. Since its inception in 2003, MidOcean Private Equity has targeted investments in high-quality middle-market companies in the consumer and business services sectors. MidOcean Credit Partners was launched in 2009 and currently manages a series of alternative credit strategies, collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), and customized separately managed accounts. In 2024, MidOcean expanded its platform to include structured equity, positioning the firm as a leading provider of capital solutions to the middle market. For more information, please visit https://www.midoceanpartners.com/.

About Questex

Questex fuels exceptional business connections - where every buyer and seller interaction matters. Through live events enriched with data insights and active year-round digital communities, we deliver measurable results. It happens here.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260511760435/en/

MidOcean Investor Relations Contact
ClientService@midoceanpartners.com

MidOcean Media:
Prosek Partners
Pro-MidOcean@prosek.com
914-552-4281

Source: MidOcean Partners

Key Terms

structured equity financial

Structured equity is a customized form of company financing that blends ordinary shares with extra features—such as priority on payouts, fixed-like payments, or rights to buy more stock later—designed to balance upside potential and downside protection. Think of it as a hybrid between shares and a safety net: it can limit losses for some investors while still letting them benefit if the company grows, so it affects ownership percentages, payout order in a sale, and potential returns.

liquidity event financial

A liquidity event is a transaction that converts ownership in a privately held or illiquid asset into cash or a marketable security, such as a sale, merger, public stock offering, or buyout. It matters to investors because it provides a clear way to realize returns or recover capital—think of it as turning a house into a cash sale—so the timing, price and structure of the event determine how much money stakeholders actually receive.