A world of opportunities for events business with a blue chip client list

The Cleckheaton-based, company manages events including conferences, product launches and roadshows for large blue chip companies including Chanel, Philips and Johnson & Johnson.

The firm said turnover increased to 39.8m, up from 30.3 in 2008, while operating profit increased by 32 per cent from 1.1m in 2008 to 1.5m in 2009.

WorldEvents said the growth in turnover reflected its continuing business development success and new business wins across its offices worldwide.

It said profits continue to be invested in the strategy of increasing WorldEvents' global presence.

The firm, which has offices in Amsterdam, the US, Germany, Switzerland and Hong Kong, also increased its number of staff by 11 per cent from 104 in 2008 to 115 in 2009.

The main European office, now in its third year of operation in Amsterdam, continues to grow, opening smaller offices in Germany and Switzerland.

The group's US office in New Jersey had a record year culminating in the winning of a five-year contract from a leading global pharmaceutical company. Towards the end of 2009 the group opened an office in Hong Kong to enable it to look after clients' needs in the rapidly expanding Asian market.

The group also continued investment in its AgoraLive delegate management and marketing communications software system by establishing it as a platform to run virtual and hybrid events from.

In addition, the company won a series of awards, including the "Best Company to Work For" category in the Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards.

Chief executive Martin Parry said: "We are delighted with these numbers which demonstrate our ability to deliver increasing profits even in challenging economic and market conditions.

"Our strategy of focusing on the pharmaceutical sector has proven to be a sound one, with renewed contracts from a number of our existing clients as well as winning new contracts from global and regional clients."

Chairman Graham Keene added: "The dynamics in the market are definitely changing and we feel that by investing in our staff, our global offer and our technology we will ensure that WorldEvents is in good shape for the future".

Last month the firm announced it had added 10 new clients to its list.

It is now working with pharmaceutical companies Eisai, Vectura, Bayer, Roche Netherlands, Napp and Mundipharma Pharmaceuticals, along with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Clearstream, UK Hydrographic Office and NHS Yorkshire and Humber.