Informa Names Tom Glocer to Succeed John Rishton as Chair in 2027

What the chair succession changed

Informa has confirmed that chair John Rishton will step down, with Tom Glocer, the former chief executive of Thomson Reuters, named to succeed him as chair in 2027. A company chair leads the board, oversees the chief executive's performance, and sets the tone for governance, but does not run day to day operations. The transition is a multi-year handover rather than an immediate change at the top, giving Glocer time to join the board and prepare before formally taking over.

Succession planning of this kind is standard practice at large listed companies, where boards typically announce a chair-elect well ahead of the actual handover date so investors and staff have clarity on leadership continuity.

Why it matters for media and events stocks

For Informa, a board-level leadership change like this is mostly about continuity and governance rather than a shift in the underlying business. Informa's earnings are driven by its exhibitions and events calendar, its academic publishing arm, and demand for B2B information services, none of which change because of who sits in the chair. Glocer's background running a large global information and media business gives the board a chair with direct experience in the kind of data and publishing markets Informa operates in, which investors may read as a sensible fit, but it is not the kind of change that moves near-term revenue or profit.

Which stocks, and why

Informa is the only company touched by this story. The move is neutral for the shares: it neither adds nor removes revenue, and it does not signal a change in strategy, since incoming chairs typically continue the direction already set by the board and existing management team. Retail investors should treat a chair succession as routine corporate governance news rather than a signal about Informa's trading performance, which will continue to be driven by event bookings, subscriber renewals, and academic research demand.

What to watch

The handover is scheduled for 2027, so the next markers worth watching are Informa's own trading updates and annual results, where any comments on strategy continuity from the board would appear. Investors should also watch for the formal date when Glocer joins the board ahead of taking the chair, and any statements from Rishton or the company about the reasons for the timing. None of this changes the fundamentals that actually move Informa's share price, which remain exhibition attendance, event pipeline, and publishing subscription trends.