December 12, 2022

Emerald, the parent company of ICFF and WantedDesign Manhattan and a leading developer of dynamic live events and integrated, leading market platforms, announces two leadership changes within its Design Group. Kevin Gaffney has been promoted to group vice president of Emerald’s Design Group, and co-founders of WantedDesign, Odile Hainaut and Claire Pijoulat, will now assume the roles of brand directors for ICFF + WantedDesign Manhattan.

“By tapping into the expertise and resources Kevin, Claire and Odile bring to these shows, Emerald is continuing to support the success of ICFF + WantedDesign Manhattan,” said Gannon Brousseau, executive vice president, Emerald. “Combined, this team brings a wider audience of national and international brands to New York to position ICFF + WantedDesign Manhattan as the leading design fair in North America.” 

Gaffney boasts 25 years of experience managing the planning and execution of more than 60 trade shows. He has held leadership roles with Emerald, including for the Boutique Design NY (BDNY) and HD Expo shows, and is responsible for managing the teams that oversee all day-to-day operation of the trade shows under his purview, working to ensure the business needs of show partners, attendees and exhibitors are met. 

During the past two years, Hainaut and Pijoulat have successfully grown WantedDesign Manhattan at the Javits Center. In their new roles as brand directors, they will continue to manage WantedDesign Manhattan while also enhancing the overall ICFF show experience through the curation of a strong selection of exhibitors, programming, and specially designed spaces for 2023. They will work closely with Gaffney and the current team to ensure the events are the design fair that brands need and an essential destination during NYCxDESIGN. This role was previously held by Phil Robinson, who has left Emerald for a new position. 

“I am eager to work more closely with both Claire and Odile to enrich these design shows and better serve the design industry,” said Gaffney. “Since we began working with WantedDesign in 2019, I have been inspired by their creativity and knowledge. I look forward to 2023 and building on the audience growth we saw in 2022.”

Dates for ICFF + WantedDesign Manhattan are set for May 21-23, 2023.