IIR is the world’s leading knowledge and skills transfer company with a global network of 44 companies and 109 operating units. Every year, IIR works with 600,000+ business executives providing them with knowledge and skills through training, conferences, seminars, e-Learning, blended solutions, publications, exhibitions, consulting and mentoring.

IIR has specialist companies providing groundbreaking strategies and proven technical expertise in both business functional areas and vertical markets. Whether it is:

• ESI, specialising in Project Management;

• Huthwaite, specialising in Sales Performance;

• Council on Education in Management, specialising in Employment Law

• AchieveGlobal specialising in service, sales and leadership;
  

• PTI specialising in Pharmaceuticals;

• Omega, specialising in Retail Financial Services;

• or any of the other myriad of specialist companies, every IIR company is the leader in its field.

Founded as a newsletter company in 1973, IIR quickly built on its research and thought leadership capabilities to expand rapidly into new markets and businesses. Growth, both organic and through acquisitions, has been constant and considerable. For the last decade, IIR has grown by a minimum of 15% annually.

IIR’s clients have grown with them. The list of IIR graduates, delegates, faculty, advisory board members and stake holders is a virtual who’s who of the corporate world and spans the breadth of the Fortune 1000 and the FT index. For many companies, where IIR training programmes have been customised to solve specific business issues, IIR’s knowledge and skills provision has become so critical a component of the organisation’s success, that graduating from the IIR curriculum is part of the core competencies required for promotion.

In a world of ever decreasing boundaries, it is clear that the only sustainable form of competitive advantage is intellectual capital. IIR companies share a passionate belief in the power of effective knowledge and skills transfer to optimise an organisation’s intellectual capital. Even more importantly, for almost 3 decades, IIR has proven time and again, that it knows exactly how to do it.
 

IIR began in 1973 as a publisher of international newsletters. In 1978 IIR entered the conference business in the UK. In the wake of the success of the first two events, IIR’s focus rapidly switched to conferences.

In 1979 the first conferences were held in Europe and Singapore, and by 1980 offices had opened in Singapore and Hong Kong, and conference activities had expanded into Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.

Worldwide Expansion

By 1986 there were 7 conference offices, and continued expansion in Europe, Scandinavia, North and South America, Africa, the Middle East and Australasia over the last decade has led to the current total of 44 companies - the broadest international spread of any company of its kind.

We continue to explore new and growing markets and have recently opened offices in Eastern Europe and Portugal.

Expansion through Diversification

IIR moved into Exhibitions in 1984 with the opening of an exhibitions company in Singapore. Today, IIR owns a large portfolio of high profile exhibitions throughout the world including the Monaco Yacht Show and IPEC.

Expansion by Acquisition

In 1986 IIR acquired the Northwest Centre for Professional Education, specialist organisers of US Real Estate conferences and seminars.

In 1989 we entered the training business by acquiring the American Institute, a major networking and data communications training organisation, which provided a springboard for expansion into Europe, Scandinavia and Australasia under the name of IIR Technology.

Continued Expansion

This double-edged expansion method - organic growth and acquisition - has continued throughout the 1990’s and early 2000s to create what is now the world’s largest business knowledge and skills company.

In 1998, IIR acquired a UK based Serviced Office business - Abbey Business Centres.

IIR’s Performance Improvement businesses have grown rapidly, again both organically and through the acquisition of Council on Education in Management in 1995, ESI International in 1997, Omega Performance Corporation in 1999 and Huthwaite and AcheiveGlobal in 2000. These businesses, primarily based in the USA originally, are now using IIR’s international infrastructure to develop markets throughout the world.

 

Message from the Chairman

For over 25 years IIR has been a leader in the provision of business knowledge and skills. This has been achieved through our enterprising, profit-focused company culture and through an unwavering dedication to the provision of timely and practical knowledge and proven skills.

As a potential stake-holder in our business, I am sure you will want to know more about how we have achieved our enviable position as the front runner in the world of business performance improvement. This website is intended to do just that.

You will see in everything you read on this site that we have a strong history of organic growth, having expanded from 10 to 109 operating units in the last decade. You will also notice that fast-track growth is a recurring theme, as we continue to steam ahead in all branches of our business - conferences, training, exhibitions, consulting - to develop a complete portfolio of solutions that meet your business needs.

It would not be possible to describe IIR's success without referring to people - our committed customers, our dedicated associates and our exceptional speakers, trainers and consultants. I thank you all for your continued support.

Irvine A Laidlaw