Online music giant Beatport has struck a deal to acquire a controlling stake in the International Music Summit (IMS).
Although both parties have a longstanding relationship, this news has rocked the industry, coming 85 days before the start of this year's conference.
Beatport CEO Robb McDaniels (pictured) gave a passionate opening speech on day one of last year's IMS.
Talking of the acquisition, Robb said that he looks forward to "partnering with Pete Tong, Ben Turner (IMS co-founders) and the entire IMS team to broaden its footprint."
The move is part of an ongoing strategy to enhance and "secure the future growth and expansion of the IMS platform."
A statement from IMS reads, "Aligning with Beatport, who have been supporters since our inception, will enable us to action many of our ideas on how to continue to grow."
Consisting of panels, keynote addresses and workshops, the IMS is set to return to Ibiza from Wednesday 26 April to Friday 28 April. The conference is regarded as the official curtain-raiser to the season, with many of the island's opening parties programmed around these dates.
Stay tuned for further news on this year's conference coming soon. For this and all other Ibiza-related news, our magazine is updated daily.
HEADER IMAGE | by James Chapman
