Inside WSJ. Magazine’s 2025 Innovator Awards

Each year, The Wall Street Journal Magazine’s Innovator Awards transforms the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) into a stage for brilliance, a gathering of pioneers shaping the future of art, fashion, technology and culture. At the heart of it all is Suzanne Froix , WSJ’s events director, whose meticulous planning and creative eye turn vision into experience. We caught up with Suzanne to talk about what goes into orchestrating a night that honors innovation in all its forms. Producing events of this magnitude requires leading a large, diverse team. How would you describe your leadership philosophy in a high-stakes, high-pressure environment? What is the one piece of advice you always give your team before they walk on-site for a major production? Producing events like the WSJ. Innovator Awards requires managing a multitude of moving parts - creative, editorial, technical, and, most importantly, the human beings who make those parts work synergistically to create the impact for which our brands stand. To some, it may appear chaotic; to me, it is orchestrated chaos, which means that things are actually carefully planned and structured in great detail. My leadership philosophy is built on clarity, composure, and trust. In a high-stakes environment, people don’t need a loud voice - they need a steady one. I believe in setting the tone: calm, clear direction and confidence in my team because we have prepared for the expected and the unexpected. So, before every major production, I remind everyone: “We’ve done the work - now trust it, trust each other, be flexible, and enjoy the moment.” Beyond immediate guest satisfaction, how do you measure the true, long-term impact of an event like the Innovators Awards? What are the three most important metrics that tell you the event didn’t just happen, but succeeded strategically for the organization? Guest satisfaction is the immediate pulse check, but true success is measured in what happens after the lights go down and the last guest has left the event. My three key metrics are: Strategic Resonance: Did the event advance the WSJ / Dow Jones brand narrative - aligning our editorial authority, audience engagement, and client partner value? Relationship Momentum: Did it spark new conversations or renew connections with key clients that continue well beyond the evening? Content Legacy: Did the event generate meaningful storytelling and digital reach - the kind of coverage that reinforces WSJ. Magazine ’s cultural relevance? For example, last year, the Innovator Awards garnered record-breaking media coverage-which means the photos, videos and red carpet clips circulated across social and editorial platforms long after the night concluded, underscoring this event’s power as a symbol of creativity, influence and cultural leadership. An event like this truly succeeds when it becomes part of our audience’s and partners’ ongoing dialogue, not just a one-night experience. The color palette and visual identity for Innovators carry a specific feeling and weight. Can you discuss the design intentionality behind the chosen colors for this year’s event? The color palette for the Innovator Awards is...

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