Nathalie Depetro, the new director of the Luxury and Beauty Division at InfoPro Digital: “The strength of our events lies in their exclusivity, their expertise, and their ability to generate business!” 

With just a few days to go before the opening of the Luxe Pack trade show in Monaco—which remains a “must” in the world of luxury goods—and just a few days after the success of the MakeUp in New York trade show, Nathalie Depetro, the new director of the Luxury & Beauty Division at InfoPro Digital Group, emphasizes that the eight trade shows under her leadership have a more important role to play than ever: connecting brands with the best partners, analyzing market trends, and bringing tomorrow’s innovations to the forefront. Here’s why...

What conclusions do you draw from the past six months?

Nathalie Depetro: I took over as head of the Luxury & Beauty Division at InfoPro Digital Group five months ago. Today, this division comprises eight trade shows as well as the magazine Formes de Luxe.
I’ve already had the opportunity to participate in several of our events: LUXE PACK New York, LUXE PACK Special Edition, MakeUp in Paris, and MakeUp in New York. These first few months have allowed me to immerse myself in a new world, at the intersection of cosmetic formulation, skincare, and makeup on the MakeUp in side, and excellence in primary and secondary packaging on the LUXE PACK side.
What strikes me is the convergence of global challenges. Brands must meet the demands of consumers who are increasingly exacting when it comes to sustainability, innovation, creativity, and experience. These major trends are evident across all our markets and shape both our conference programs and the innovations presented by our exhibitors.
My initial assessment, therefore, is that of a particularly dynamic sector undergoing profound transformation, in which our events have a greater role to play than ever before: connecting brands with the best partners, analyzing market trends, and bringing tomorrow’s innovations to the forefront.

MakeUp in New York was a huge success. How did LUXE PACK Monaco fare?

Nathalie Depetro: MakeUp in New York did indeed show excellent momentum, with a 9% increase in attendance and 45 new exhibitors, including APR Beauty, Beauty Chain, Dow Chemical, HCP, Seppic, Symrise, Quadpack, Hankook, and Nippon Shikizai.
Another particularly positive sign: we achieved a record rebooking rate, as 50% of the exhibition space was reserved for the next edition during the event itself. We also welcomed 30% new brands among our visitors. This is a crucial indicator for us, as the renewal of participating brands and the generation of new business opportunities are key factors in our exhibitors’ ROI.
As for LUXE PACK Monaco, we will welcome 380 exhibiting companies representing 80 countries, which confirms the decidedly international scope of our flagship event. We are also seeing 70% new brands among those registering for the first time, including Balenciaga, Richemont, Lanvin, Champagne Taittinger, Toteme, Pol Roger, Swatch, Trudon, Carrière Frères,
Embryolisse, Stéphane Humbert Lucas Paris, Eight & Bob, Lego, Inglot Cosmetics, Les Secrets de Loly, Toskani, Auvere, Rhum Bologne, and Château du Cros, to name just a few.
We have also significantly expanded the pre-show meetings between brands and manufacturers, particularly through our online matchmaking tool. The goal is clear: to make the trade show an increasingly effective experience in terms of business and high-quality networking.
We are also strengthening our Luxury & Premium positioning by highlighting the excellence of our selected manufacturers and designers, while introducing a dedicated area for new technologies in the field of connected packaging. New materials and more sustainable solutions also remain at the heart of the discussions and innovations on display.
We are therefore approaching this edition of LUXE PACK Monaco with great enthusiasm, preserving what makes it strong—its selectivity and the excellence of its offerings—while giving special attention to emerging brands, which are the gems of tomorrow.

How do you explain the momentum of the U.S. editions?

Nathalie Depetro: Our U.S. editions are doing very well, particularly because the industries we serve there are currently experiencing faster growth rates than in Europe. Consumer spending remains robust, and many U.S. brands are expanding rapidly, thereby creating new opportunities for players in the formulation and packaging sectors.
Our events take on their full significance in this context: they allow suppliers to meet new customers, but also enable brands to quickly identify the partners, innovations, and expertise they need to support their growth.
We’re also considering launching additional events in the United States. This market alone offers considerable diversity and depth, with many opportunities still to be explored.

What changes would you like to bring to the division and your events?

Nathalie Depetro: I’ve just arrived, and one of my goals is to significantly enhance our communication around industry insights, with a much more nuanced approach by market, as well as to develop more segmented and targeted conference programs.
Take, for example, a brand attending LUXE PACK. Depending on whether it is represented by its CEO, founder, purchasing director, R&D director, or marketing director, the expectations and business challenges are obviously not the same.
We must therefore be able to offer content tailored to each of these profiles. My ambition, in particular, is to develop Master Classes organized by major themes and centered on the key business challenges faced by our communities.
A trade show should no longer be merely a place where people come to find a supplier or discover an innovation. It must also enable attendees to understand the transformations taking place in their market, anticipate upcoming disruptions, and leave with a vision. We must provide our visitors with both very concrete solutions to their immediate challenges and insights to help them prepare for the future.

What would you say to an exhibitor who is hesitant to return next year?

Nathalie Depetro: I’d tell them to come back! We’ve paid particular attention to recruiting new brands, precisely because attracting new visitors is essential to creating value for our exhibitors.
For three days, the trade show acts as a true business accelerator: exhibitors meet their clients, but above all, they meet new prospects and new brands that they wouldn’t necessarily have the opportunity to approach as effectively otherwise.
In an increasingly international and competitive market, having a presence also means staking a claim in the field. Failing to seize this opportunity means potentially ceding it to competitors, particularly international ones.

Do economic and geopolitical tensions concern you regarding the future of the market?

Nathalie Depetro: Every year brings its share of economic and geopolitical uncertainties. Nevertheless, I remain positive, particularly because we are fortunate to have a truly international presence, from the United States to Shanghai and throughout Europe.
The dynamics are not the same everywhere: some regions are experiencing periods of growth while others are slowing down. But these trends are also cyclical.
Above all, even in more challenging times, the need to connect doesn’t disappear. Sometimes it becomes even more important. Players in our industry need to identify new partners, discover innovations, diversify their markets, and create new business opportunities. That is precisely the role our events are meant to play.

Are you planning to expand into new regions around the world?

Nathalie Depetro: Yes. In particular, we are looking with great interest at opportunities in the Middle East. We are still in the analysis phase, so it’s too early to announce anything, but it’s undoubtedly a region we’re keeping an eye on.
At the same time, I remain convinced that there are still many opportunities for growth in our existing markets, particularly in Europe and the United States.
Our approach is not to be present everywhere at any cost. We want to expand where we can bring real added value to our communities of brands, manufacturers, designers, and experts, while remaining true to what makes our events so strong: their selectivity, their expertise, and their ability to generate business.