One year later we are delighted to report that Nineteen Group has divested the magazines following a management buy-out by Mark Sennett, Danny Kosifou and Keith Gabriel which includes eight magazines, associated digital platforms and the Safety and Health Excellence Awards. The WBE business will separate from Nineteen Group and will be known as Western Business Media going forward. 

The management buy-out is good news for IP&E journal which will see significant focus and investment under the new leadership team. Western Business Media CEO Mark Sennett comments “Danny, Keith and I are delighted to have been given this opportunity. This MBO allows us to significantly invest in the publishing business to ensure we maintain our magazines as market leaders and continue to expand our reach across new and exciting digital platforms.” 

In other positive news, this issue IP&E welcomes back Rachel Godfrey, who after a period of engagement in other roles in the company has taken up the position of sales director on the IP&E suite of products. With a wealth of experience in the industrial sector Rachel is looking forward to leading and developing the IP&E portfolio in what is a period of great change and opportunity for UK industry. Rachel comments: "The industrial sector is an exciting place to work as trends such as artificial intelligence and digitalisation take hold. Nothing is standing still, including IP&E and we look forward to bringing you lots of new opportunities associated with the journal in 2020."   

The first opportunity, if you haven't done so already, might be to follow IP&E's new page on LinkedIn where you can stay up-to-date with all of our latest news as well as getting some behind-the-scenes insight into the workings of the IP&E team – just search IP&E Magazine and don't forget we are on Twitter too at @IPEmagazine. 

We hope you enjoy this issue; highlights include a round up from the recent Maintec event, a report from the SOE's insightful Women in Engineering debate, a special focus on the pharmaceuticals sector and our annual Energy Management supplement – as ever your comments and feedback are most welcome.  

That just leaves us to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.