Arms fair organiser operating at a massive loss

Clarion Events, the company which organises the biannual DSEI arms fair in London’s docklands has been operating at a massive loss. The international trade exhibition organiser declared a consolidated loss of £22 million during 2014 following a £41 million loss the previous year.

Several protesters managed to bypass security and get inside the fair (see here and here). Anarchist hackers breached Clarion’s cyber security and leaked documents containing commercial, logistical and security information intended for Clarion’s customers.

In a clear statement of intent, Clarion has even become a member of the Aerospace, Defence and Security group, the industry body for the arms trade, and set up a special company called Clarion Defence and Security to manage their collection of arms fairs. It also organises the Counter Terror Expo.

Clarion Events was bought by Providence Equity in January this year. The mainstream press reported that it was hard to find a buyer for Clarion because of its involvement in the arms trade. Providence will be hoping to see a turn around in Clarion’s finances. But this year’s anti-arms fair protests may have eaten into Clarion’s profits from DSEI.