Drury takeover goal achieved

THE sports management company run by Fintan Drury has acquired the conference and incentive travel division of the Beacon Travel Group for €1 million.

Drury Sports Management is the largest Irish agency and represents 40 footballers in Britain.

Mr Drury says the purchase will be a good fit as his companies already manage a number of conferences and events.

The company said the two brands will continue to operate independently but, in time, they will be fully integrated.

“Beacon Conference and Incentive is a much admired and consistently profitable business. It will add scale to our existing business and introduce us to new markets,” said Mr Drury.

Drury Sports Management acts as consultant to the European Tour on properties including The Smurfit European Open; the World Golf Championships; American Express Championship and 2006 Ryder Cup.

It also owns the commercial rights of the BMW Round Ireland Race.

Mr Drury, a former RTÉ journalist, is chairman of bookmakers Paddy Power and a director of Anglo Irish Bank. He is the founder of Drury Communications. Beacon Conference and Incentive chief executive Terri Cullinane said the takeover was a positive development for its staff and clients.