asembl.group Acquires Noble Live FZCO, Deepening Its Middle East Presence as Client Demand Holds Firm
The international events group, working with exhibitions partner Formation Global, has bought the Dubai-based business from veSpace. The existing team stays in place.
Key Takeaways
- The deal: International events collective asembl.group, together with its specialist exhibitions partner Formation Global, has acquired Noble Live FZCO from veSpace.
- The reason: The group cites sustained client demand across the Middle East, where activity has stayed resilient despite wider geopolitical uncertainty.
- The continuity: Penny Noble will continue to lead Noble Live Dubai with her existing local team.
- The footprint: asembl.group now has established operations across the UK, the UAE and APAC.
- Not disclosed: The announcement did not mention the financial terms of the deal.
What Has Been Announced?
asembl.group announced today that it has acquired Noble Live FZCO from veSpace. The business now becomes part of asembl.group as part of what the company calls its continued international expansion strategy. Formation Global, the group’s specialist exhibitions partner, is involved alongside it.
For clients, the message is one of stability. Noble Live Dubai will keep operating with the same team, led by Managing Director Penny Noble, while gaining access to the wider capabilities, investment and international reach of its new parent.
Why the Middle East, and Why Now?
The company’s stated reasoning is demand. According to asembl.group, activity across the Middle East has remained resilient even with wider geopolitical uncertainty, and businesses in the region continue to invest in live experiences.
Rather than treat that as a passing trend, the group says it is investing alongside its clients by strengthening its local presence, expanding its regional team and increasing its ability to support clients on the ground.
Gavin Farley, CEO of asembl.group, framed the deal in those terms. He said it is about investing where clients are investing, and that projects have continued to move forward across the region despite wider challenges.
Who Is Involved?
asembl.group is an international events collective with established operations in the UK, UAE and APAC, plus a growing network of specialist partners worldwide.
Formation Global is the group’s specialist exhibitions partner. It will continue to complement the Middle East proposition with its exhibition and interiors expertise.
Noble Live FZCO (Noble Live Dubai) is the acquired business, led by Penny Noble, which the group describes as having an outstanding reputation.
veSpace is the previous owner. Its CEO, Anita Lowe, said it was important that the next chapter for Noble Live was with organisations sharing the same values, entrepreneurial spirit and ambition for growth.
What Each Leader Said?
Gavin Farley, CEO, asembl.group: The long-term strategy is to build genuine regional expertise backed by international capability. He described Noble Live as an exceptional business with an outstanding reputation and said the group is excited to invest in its future.
Anita Lowe, CEO, veSpace: She said Noble Live built its reputation in Dubai under Penny Noble’s leadership, and that asembl.group and Formation Global bring complementary strengths across live events and exhibitions, international reach and a commitment to investing in people and client relationships.
Jody Milton, CEO and Co-founder, Formation Global: He said Noble Live adds local knowledge and relationships in the UAE, while asembl.group provides the international platform and live event expertise. Together, he said, they create a stronger proposition for seamless delivery across exhibitions and live experiences in the Middle East.
Penny Noble, Managing Director, Noble Live Dubai: She called joining the asembl.group family an exciting milestone. Clients will keep working with the same trusted team, now backed by an international business that shares its ambition.
How the Group Describes Its Model?
asembl.group says it combines owned regional businesses with specialist partners. The aim, in its words, is an international organisation that offers genuine local expertise backed by global capability. The Noble Live acquisition is presented as another significant step in that growth strategy.
Our Analysis: What This Deal Signals
The following is editorial analysis, not reported fact.
1. Local teams are the asset. The announcement puts continuity first. Keeping Penny Noble and her team in place suggests the buyer values existing client relationships and local knowledge, which are hard to rebuild from scratch.
2. Ownership over partnership. The group already works with specialist partners. Buying a regional business outright signals a preference for owned presence where demand is strongest.
3. Confidence in a tricky market. Expanding in the Middle East while acknowledging geopolitical uncertainty shows the company reads client demand as more important than short-term headwinds.
4. Exhibitions and live events are being packaged together. The Formation Global link suggests a push to offer clients one joined-up service across both formats.
What to Watch Next?
- Whether asembl.group expands its Middle East team, as it has said it intends to.
- How Noble Live Dubai works alongside Formation Global’s exhibition and interiors offering.
- Whether the group announces further regional acquisitions in the UK, UAE or APAC network.
- Any details on financial terms or client wins, which were not part of this announcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What has asembl.group acquired?
- asembl.group, together with Formation Global, has acquired Noble Live FZCO from veSpace.
Who sold Noble Live FZCO?
- veSpace, whose CEO is Anita Lowe, was the previous owner.
Who will lead Noble Live after the acquisition?
- Penny Noble, Managing Director of Noble Live Dubai, will continue to lead the business with her existing local team.
Why is asembl.group expanding in the Middle East?
- The company says client demand across the region has been sustained and resilient, despite wider geopolitical uncertainty.
Where does asembl.group operate?
- The group has established operations across the UK, the UAE and APAC, along with a growing network of specialist partners worldwide.
What is Formation Global’s role?
- Formation Global is asembl.group’s specialist exhibitions partner. It will continue to complement the group’s Middle East proposition with exhibition and interiors expertise.
How much did the deal cost?
- The announcement did not disclose financial terms.
asembl.group’s purchase of Noble Live FZCO is a straightforward expansion story: a group that sees steady client demand in the Middle East is buying local capability rather than building it from zero. With the same leadership and team staying in place, the change for clients is meant to be one of added reach and investment, not disruption.
