Although a source close to the company described the move as “a complete shock” Informa Exhibitions managing director Peter Hall said it was in line with previous show cycles.

“Consistent with all other Ipex cycles, the sales and marketing team that worked on Ipex 2014 are either being re-deployed within Informa or will seek opportunities externally and we are currently working with the team towards this objective,” he said in a statement.

“Ipex 2018 will take place at ExceL London in March 2018 and therefore the Ipex 2018 team will reform during 2016.  In the meantime I am in touch with all of our major stakeholders.”

PrintWeek understands that seven jobs are involved, with the employees whose roles are at risk including sales director Wayne Beckett and sales manager Mary Buck.

Some of the team members potentially affected work across Informa’s other print-related events, such as the Cross Media show scheduled for October, and North Print & Pack which is due to take place next year.

It’s not clear how the proposed changes will affect the running of those events. Hall did not add any further comment.

Ipex event director Trevor Crawford left the business at the beginning of the month.

One Ipex exhibitor said: “I suspect there is an element of that being Trevor’s team, and in wanting to let someone new bring in their own people. But it’s such a shame after all that hard work, and the people involved know the exhibitors so Informa runs the risk of losing those relationships.”