Its pre-tax profits were £219.7 million, a turnaround from the loss of £31.2m it reported the previous year.

The company identified the market for specialist business information as “attractive and growing” and it is continuing to invest in intelligent product platforms, marketing automation and customer insight.

Stephen Carter, group chief executive, said: “Informa made significant progress in 2015. We have delivered growth in revenues, earnings, free cash flow and dividends, while investing for future capability and further growth. Our results reflect the benefits of the Growth Acceleration Plan, our cost discipline and the effective integration and operation of recently acquired businesses.

“Our ambitions for 2016, Year Three of the Growth Acceleration Plan, are to remain highly disciplined in the continued delivery of that programme, while continuing to expand the scale and quality of our businesses in North America and in the wider exhibitions market. We anticipate a further period of earnings and cash flow growth in 2016, including a full year of positive organic revenue growth in Business Intelligence.”