B2B travel industry events, media and information services company, Northstar Travel Group (“Northstar”), is to be acquired by JTB Corp. (“JTB”), of Japan. A release from Northstar said there was “a definitive agreement” for JTB Corp to acquire Northstar from investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital and its co-investors.
As part of the transaction, Northstar will operate as a wholly-owned, independent subsidiary of JTB and will continue to be led by its existing management team, including CEO Jason Young. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Northstar operates B2B travel event, media, and market intelligence brands including Travel Weekly, Business Travel News, ALIS, The Meetings Show, and Phocuswright.
“Today’s announcement marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for JTB Group,” said Eijiro Yamakita, president and CEO of JTB Group.” He added: “By operating Northstar as an independent subsidiary, we preserve their neutral market position while creating a powerful platform for delivering superior customer experiences.”
Co-managing partner Anup Bagaria (pictured) and senior partner Michael Struble of EagleTree Capital commented: “We are confident Northstar is well positioned for future success and look forward to watching it thrive as part of JTB.”
Closing of the transaction is expected in September 2025, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
