The Kelly Helfman era is over at MAGIC.
The president of Mmgnet Group, formerly known as Informa Markets Fashion and the owner of MAGIC, Project, Coterie and other leading industry trade shows, is exiting at the end of the year.
Helfman, who has been at the company for nearly two decades, will be succeeded on an interim basis by Nancy Walsh, president of Informa Markets North America.
In an exclusive interview with WWD, Helfman said her departure is bittersweet but the time is right for her to move on.
“I started in 2006 as a customer service rep and have been overseeing the group now for four years. I’m so grateful and it’s been an incredible ride, but it’s time for me personally. I’m ready for my next chapter.”
Helfman said she is proud of the team she built who will step up and keep the engine running until a successor for her is found.
Walsh, who had run the business before being promoted to her current role, said: “We can’t really replace Kelly, but she’s done an amazing job developing a really strong team that has a lot of fashion experience so we’ll put a leader in. We’ll look for a person that has the right chemistry.”
She said she is brainstorming and working closely with the leaders of the different shows on the transition.
There is no timetable to name a successor, Walsh said, adding that the real search has yet to begin. But the goal of the organization remains the same: to “remain laser focused” on connecting brands and retailers and provide a superior experience at its shows.
The trade show industry, like many others, was severely impacted by the pandemic when no one could travel. Shows were canceled and organizers had to pivot to find ways to stay relevant. Walsh said that while many sounded the death knell for the industry, Informa has seen a significant rebound.
“During COVID, everybody was asking what was going to happen and will people come back out,” she said. “But we saw the event business surge. People missed being connected and seeing eyeball to eyeball, touching and feeling fabric, talking to people. And so, particularly in fashion, the bounce back was pretty strong. Now it’s a matter of maintaining it, stabilizing it, and growing on that.”
They said that despite Helfman’s departure, the Project Presents show during New York men’s market week in January will be held as planned along with the Las Vegas edition of MAGIC, Project and Sourcing in February. Project Presents is an intimate showcase of a handful of international brands, including Beams Plus.
As for Helfman, her future has yet to be revealed. She said she will “take a little bit of time” and announce her plans sometime soon.
It’s no secret that large trade shows have lost a lot of their luster over the past several years, with many major retailers and vendors opting for alternatives to the standard format. Popular regional shows such as the Chicago Collective and the Dallas market have also had an impact as merchants seek out more curated brand assortments in cities that are more reasonably priced for visiting buyers and exhibitors.
In February, Informa Fashion Markets rebranded as Mmgnet in a move to transform into more of an industry connector and less of a standard trade show. For more than 90 years the company’s trade shows served as meeting grounds for retailers and manufacturers. The shows continue during key market times throughout the year, but the offering was updated to include exclusive programs and research-driven market insights, seasonal trend forecasting and other business resources both during the live events and online throughout the year.
