Truelink Capital (“Truelink”), a Los Angeles-based private equity firm focused on growth and long-term value creation, announced today that its portfolio company GES has acquired CSG Creative (“CSG” or the “Company”), a strategic marketing and creative agency serving associations and event organizers, from National Trade Productions, Inc. (“NTP”). GES is a global leader in exhibition and experiential marketing services for event organizers and brand marketers. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, CSG provides brand strategy, creative, digital, and multi-channel marketing services that help associations and event organizers build their brands and grow membership and event attendance. The Company works as an extension of its clients’ marketing teams, primarily through year-round retainer relationships, and serves associations, trade shows, and conferences. CSG will continue to operate under its own brand as an operating company within GES, with President Paige Cardwell and the existing leadership team remaining in place.
The acquisition expands GES’s marketing and creative capabilities, pairing its global exhibition services and event organizer relationships with CSG’s expertise in growing event attendance and membership for association clients. The combination also creates two-way cross-sell opportunities, extending CSG’s services across GES’s broader client base and introducing CSG’s clients to GES’s exhibition services.
“CSG has a deeply experienced team, long-standing association relationships, and a strong reputation,” said Luke Myers, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Truelink Capital. “Together, GES and CSG give associations and event organizers a single partner from attendee marketing through show execution, and we continue to see a robust pipeline of M&A opportunities to build on the platform.”
“This acquisition is an investment in capabilities that complement our existing services and strengthen the value we bring to clients,” said Derek Linde, CEO of GES. “CSG has established itself as a leader in the association and exhibitions industry, with an exceptional track record of helping organizations and events grow through strategic marketing, creative excellence, and measurable results. The partnership reinforces our commitment to specialized expertise, innovation, and services that help clients build stronger brands, engage audiences, and drive long-term business growth.”
This acquisition marks GES’s second add-on under Truelink’s ownership, following its acquisition of 2Heads in 2025, and reflects Truelink’s continued focus on partnering with industry-leading companies in the industrials and business services sectors.
