TrendCommittee

Every year, the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee looks for the latest trends within the toy industry. It is made up of international experts, trend scouts, market researchers and journalists with years of experience. The 12-member team consists of: 

John Baulch

Toy World | Publisher | England

Few people know the British toy industry as intimately as John Baulch. He first wrote for Toy Trader magazine back in 1980, shaped Toys n Playthings from 1983 onwards – and in 2011 took the leap to launch his own trade title: Toy World.

In less than two years, he established Toy World as the UK's leading toy magazine – renowned for keeping its finger firmly on the pulse of a fast-moving, vibrant industry.

On the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee, which he has been part of since its very beginning, John Baulch brings more than 30 years of editorial experience: an unerring instinct for the topics that will move the industry tomorrow – and for what truly means inspiration, play and fun.

Clara Blasco-López

AIJU | UX Research & Innovation | Spain

How do you create products that truly delight children – while putting people at the centre? Clara Blasco explores this question every day. With a Master's degree in product design, she works as a design and trend researcher at AIJU, the Spanish technology centre for children's and leisure products.

A former toy designer and UX researcher, she guides companies on products, services and innovation workshops. Since 2017 she has led research projects on sustainability in the toy market, sharing her findings with a wider public.

On the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee, Clara Blasco brings the user-centred perspective of design research: a fine sense for creativity, playfulness and wonder – and for toys that don't just appeal, but meet real needs.

Daniele Caroli

Spirit of Play | Journalist | Italy

From music journalism to the toy industry: Daniele Caroli's path is as versatile as his eye for trends. Until 1985 he wrote about music and consumer electronics, before shaping the trade titles Il Giornale dell'Infanzia and Giochi & Giocattoli as editor-in-chief.

Internationally, he served as president of the BCMI and ITMA associations – making him superbly connected at the industry's key intersections. His experience reaches far beyond play itself.

Daniele Caroli has been part of the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee since 2013 and, since 2020, also writes for Spirit of Play, the show's online magazine. He brings the perspective of a seasoned trade journalist – for trends that carry meaning far beyond the games table.

Axel Dammler

iconkids & youth | Market Researcher & Managing Director | Germany

What do children and teenagers really think, feel and want? Axel Dammler has been getting to the bottom of that question since 1992. Today, as managing partner, he heads iconkids & youth, Germany's largest specialist institute for research into children and young people.

Countless studies on national and international media and consumer goods markets bear his signature. He has published more than 50 articles and several books, and is a sought-after interviewee across radio, TV and print.

On the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee, Axel Dammler brings the perspective that matters most in the end: that of the young target group itself – and a sure sense of which toys truly catch on through novelty, reach and sheer momentum.

Steven Ekstract

Global Licensing Advisors | Journalist, Analyst & Conference Organiser | USA

When it comes to brand licensing, Steven Ekstract is an internationally recognised voice. As founder of Global Licensing Advisors, he advises brands looking to grow through licensing and strategic collaborations – and since 2022 through his X Tracks Licensing Summits.

Previously, he was the founding publisher of License Global, the industry's leading trade magazine, and as Brand Director he shaped the flagship licensing expos across the USA, Europe, Japan and China. His book Brand Licensing For Dummies is regarded as a practical go-to introduction. In December 2025, he was inducted into the Licensing Hall of Fame – alongside legends such as Walt Disney and George Lucas.

On the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee, Steven Ekstract brings the global licensing perspective: a sharp eye for how emotional connection and virality turn into genuine trends – and how brands become firm favourites.

Philippe Guinaudeau

Kidz Global & BrandTrends | CEO | United Arab Emirates

Data, emotion, play – for Philippe Guinaudeau, these belong inseparably together. As CEO of the market research firms Kidz Global and BrandTrends, he looks back on more than 30 years of experience in market research, delivering tailor-made solutions for one of the most competitive markets of all.

Before founding his own companies, he held management roles at the NPD Group and advised on durable consumer goods at AC Nielsen. Along the way, he built up market expertise in toys, games, licensing and entertainment across five continents.

On the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee, Philippe Guinaudeau brings the data-driven global market view: a fine sense for where figures and emotion converge – and where robust trends are born.

Katriina Heljakka

Turku School of Economics | Toy & Play Researcher | Finland

Few people research play as passionately as Katriina Heljakka. As a visiting researcher at the Turku School of Economics (Pori Unit), she devotes herself to toys, play and playful learning – underlined by no fewer than two doctorates in the field.

She previously worked as a game designer and creative manager in the industry. Her work on character toys, Kidult toys and cross-generational play practices has been widely published and awarded internationally.

On the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee, Katriina Heljakka brings profound academic depth: an understanding of play as a lifelong phenomenon – and a keen sense of what truly makes a product stand out. Her motto: Wow, Flow, Glow!

Gabriela Kaiser

Trend Agency | Trend Scout & Expert | Germany

Trends don't emerge on the toy shelf alone, but across the whole of lifestyle – of that, Gabriela Kaiser is convinced. After studying textile engineering with a focus on design, she worked as a designer before setting up her own trend agency.

Since 2002 she has worked across Germany as a trend scout and consultant, counting well-known companies from industry and retail, trade fairs and specialist magazines among her clients. From 2010 to 2014 she also taught strategy and trend research at Nuremberg Institute of Technology.

On the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee, Gabriela Kaiser brings the holistic lifestyle view: a sense for which currents will shape the industry across product boundaries – and with global presence.

Urszula Kaszubowska

Branża Dziecięca | Publisher & Editor-in-Chief | Poland

When it comes to the Polish toy market, there is no way around Urszula Kaszubowska. As editor-in-chief of Branża Dziecięca, Poland's largest trade journal for toys and baby articles, she knows the industry from close up.

She also sits on the selection jury of Poland's "Toy of the Year" competition and brings deep publishing experience: for 17 years she has worked for one of Poland's largest publishing houses, including as publishing director for hobby magazines.

On the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee, Urszula Kaszubowska brings the Eastern European market view – and one clear benchmark: for her, a genuine trend is whatever children themselves ultimately approve of.

Sujin Lee

Gem Factory | Strategy Consultant | Republik of Korea

Can artificial intelligence predict which toy will succeed? Sujin Lee is working on exactly that. He founded Gem Factory in 2014 and has since driven product and brand development, marketing and – since 2018 – a pioneering data platform project.

In 2021 he launched Gemi-rawn AI: the only solution provider for analysing and forecasting toy and animation content. With it, Gem Factory is digitalising the toy market and connecting data with creativity.

On the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee, Sujin Lee brings the technology-driven view of the future: a sense for how data-based analysis and genuine play value come together – and where the trends of tomorrow emerge from the numbers.

Reyne Rice

Toy Trends | Global Trend Hunter, Journalist & Consultant | USA

Reyne Rice is always on the trail of the latest toy trends – right around the globe. As vice-chair of the ITMA, a journalist and author of numerous international publications, she is one of the industry's most influential voices.

Whether as consultant, broadcaster, speaker or jury member: each year she attends around 24 trade fairs worldwide to track trends in toys & games, entertainment, licensing and children's tech. Since 2003 she has run her consultancy, Toy Trends, in New York.

At the Spielwarenmesse’s TrendCommittee, Reyne Rice presents the Global Trend Radar: a trained eye for what captivates, entertains and inspires people across national borders – and thus truly becomes a trend.

Jane Wong 

Guangdong Toy Association | Journalist & Industry Analyst | China

It is hard to be any closer to the pulse of toy production: Jane Wong is a senior journalist and industry analyst at the Guangdong Toy Association, one of China's most influential regional trade bodies – based where more toys are manufactured than anywhere else in the world.

For over a decade she served as a journalist and deputy editor of the association's trade magazine TOY INDUSTRY, and today she is a major writer for its authoritative online platform ctoy.com.cn. Her topics: supply chains, manufacturing innovation, IP licensing, content ecosystems and international market trends.

On the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee, Jane Wong brings the view from the world's largest production hub: first-hand insight from China's manufacturing clusters, paired with a global perspective – and a fine sense for trends that shape the industry in creative, up-and-coming and border-crossing ways.