The PPA Business Media Group will now be known simply as PPA Business as part of a wider strategy to raise the collective profile of the sector and deliver enhanced member benefits.
Barry McIlheney, PPA CEO, said: “This move is a response to the dramatic shift in our members’ business models in recent years and their emergence as global leaders in the provision of digital business content and data services.”
Outlining the new strategy at the PPA Digital Publishing Conference at The Brewery on September 26, Michael Dell, Chairman of PPA Business and Senior VP at IHS, said: “There’s a big job to be done in raising awareness of the business information sector’s success in adapting to the digital age, and its importance to the UK, European and global economy.”
“It is vital to raise the profile of this large, confident, profitable and growing sector if members are to attract the creative and commercial talent needed to maintain innovation and global momentum.”
Under the new-look PPA Business division structure there is an expanded number of working groups, which bring together senior practitioners from various publishing disciplines to discuss issues of common interest and concern. Full details are available at www.ppa.co.uk/business.
Dell added: “The shared learning from these groups is a key membership value, as is the engagement with all levels of government on issues such as legal deposit, copyright and data protection legislation.”
Dell told delegates that total UK business publishing revenues last year were £6.0bn, with 51% coming from information and data services. The sector, he said, was the fourth largest in the world, behind the US, Germany and Japan.
McIlheney concluded: “I’m confident that the strategic initiatives planned under the PPA Business banner will help members meet ongoing challenges as the pace of digital change continues to accelerate.”
PPA Business represents more than one hundred business information providers counted within the membership of the PPA. Its purpose is to protect, promote and advise those members in the development of their own activities. The PPA is committed to deliver value for members in ten areas:
PROMOTE
• To promote the success of business information providers in adapting to the digital age and to highlight the sector’s importance to the UK, European and global economy
• To attract the best creative and commercial talent to the industry
• To celebrate best-in-class performance
PROTECT
• To represent business information providers when a collective voice is needed in tax, regulatory and legal affairs
ADVISE
• To support members in the development of their core business, organisational and operational models
• To help members realise the global opportunities of the digital age
• To build industry networks which enable the strongest exploitation of collaborative opportunities and stretch from innovative start-ups to established players
• To aid in talent acquisition and development (recruitment, people development and skills training)
• To promote and benchmark industry best practice
• To help manage our responsibility to the communities in which we live through strong environmental and charity activities
