Data

December 3, 2024

Transforming Questex: Paul Miller's Data-Driven Approach to Media and Events

# Data

# revenue

# Media

# Events

# Digital Strategy

How Questex rebuilt its foundations through centralized data, strategic operations, and insight-driven growth to meet evolving market and investor demands.

Heather Holst-Knudsen

We are a people-based business and it's our people, our ideas, how they are able to communicate that actually gives us a competitive advantage.

‍Paul Miller, CEO of Questex, has led a remarkable transformation of the company over the past six years, focusing on three key areas that offer valuable insights for leaders in the media and events industry:

1. Centralizing Data and Operations

When Miller joined Questex, the company operated as 20 small, independent businesses with disparate data systems. He recognized that this structure limited the company's potential and took decisive action:

- Consolidated databases into a single, centralized Questex database

- Implemented a unified customer data platform (CDP)

- Centralized key functions like product development, brand and experience, data management, and event operations

This centralization allowed Questex to:

- Hire higher-caliber talent by offering roles within a $120 million operation rather than $5 million units

- Enable cross-pollination of ideas and best practices across the organization

- Force market-focused teams to concentrate on customers rather than operational tasks

Miller emphasizes that this was not a simple process, stating, "When I talk about it, sounds kind of simple, it really was a rip the company down to its studs and rebuild it as a fit for purpose for the new generation, really".

2. Leveraging Data for Content and Customer Engagement

With a centralized data infrastructure in place, Questex now uses real-time audience insights to drive content creation and customer engagement:

- Editorial teams receive reports on trending articles across Questex properties and the broader internet

- Content creators use this data to steer interviews, panel recruitment, and conference programming

- Sales teams leverage audience interest data to identify relevant accounts for targeted outreach

Miller provided a concrete example: "They now see that there's a huge surge in people reading about affordability of prescription drugs. Actually happens to be a real thing. And once they get that, the editors can then steer their content, their interviews, their panel recruitment, their conference programs to affordability as being a key section".

This data-driven approach allows Questex to:

- Deliver highly relevant content across digital and event platforms

- Personalize marketing messages based on demonstrated interests

- Increase the value proposition for advertisers and sponsors

‍

3. Adapting to Evolving Private Equity Expectations

Having worked with private equity-owned companies throughout his career, Miller has observed a shift in focus from PE investors:

- Board meetings have become increasingly data-driven, with members demanding supporting data for strategic decisions

- While EBITDA remains important, there's a growing emphasis on top-line growth

- PE firms are more willing to invest in growth initiatives based on data-backed strategies

Miller notes, "I'm certainly finding that growth, top line growth, is actually a much more significant part of my current conversations with private equity. And I'm not saying it never was, I mean, it was always there. But now it's almost like a, listen, let's invest for top line growth based on the data".

This shift has led to new types of data requests from PE owners, including:

- New logo performance metrics

- Customer churn analysis

- Pricing strategy evaluations

By aligning with these evolving PE expectations, Questex is positioning itself for sustainable growth and increased enterprise value in a rapidly changing media landscape.

About the Author

Heather Holst-Knudsen is a distinguished figure and expert in the events, media, marketing and technology sectors. Using her extensive experience, she guides clients in adapting to structural economic and market changes, seizing the chance to innovate and evolve. She specializes in digital and data disruption and opportunity, exploring how these overarching factors can impact revenue growth, customer-centricity, operational efficiency, profit margins, and the overall valuation of companies in both public and private markets.

Her journey began at her family business, Thomas Publishing Company, where she honed her skills. She further expanded her expertise by holding positions at early industry giants Miller Freeman, Reed Elsevier, and IDG. Returning to Thomas Publishing, Heather founded and spearheaded Manufacturing Enterprise Communications, an integrated media portfolio connecting buyers and sellers in the manufacturing and technology sectors. Starting in 2015 and spanning the next seven years, she leveraged her expertise as a revenue and business leader in various SaaS businesses, including Feathr, Gleanin, Brella and Edflex.

Heather is deeply passionate about digital innovation, data monetization, and AI and how these strategies fuel revenue growth, profitability, and company valuation. To serve and create value for clients in these areas, she launched H2K Labs, dedicated to generating and leveraging value through data for media, business information, events, and adjacent technology and service markets.

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