2024 Women of Live: Kate Des Enfants McMahon

Executive Vice President | Messina Touring Group

Messina Touring Group EVP Kate Des Enfants McMahon is used to working with legends. Beyond being the marketing visionary for the iconic Louie Messina, she’s been stewarding massive stadium-sized business for Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Ed Sheeran, The Lumineers and some girl named Taylor.

Last year alone, the Chicago-born and -raised McMahon reports, “the big story of MTG was [Taylor Swift’s] ‘The Era’s Tour’; but we also produced both Ed Sheeran’s 24 date ‘Mathematics’ stadium tour and 15 date ‘Subtract’ theater tour, Old Dominion’s first ever arena tour, the 60-date ‘No Bad Vibes Tour’ and Kenny Chesney’s 26-date back-to-his roots ‘I Go Back’ arena tour. Beyond that, we did seven George Strait stadium shows, produced the ATLive festival in Atlanta, 16 Lumineers’ ‘Brightside Tour’ dates and 18 ‘Back to the Honky Tonk Tour’ shows for Blake Shelton.”

Pausing, she adds, “For our little 30-person company, IT WAS A YEAR!”

Indeed. Beyond being the first billion-dollar tour, Swift’s “Era’s” is a tribute to MTG’s commitment to developing artists in the live space. Citing early mentor Doug Close’s attention to detail and Messina’s commitment to “the big idea, the big picture,” the honey-blond executive believes, “Step up and step back: what does this mean in the big picture? What does this mean in the next five years? The balance of how their minds work is with me every day.”

At a company where the Executive Team has more women than men, McMahon mentors younger team members with “Speak up when you have an idea, and never qualify it with ‘This might be dumb, but…’ Just throw it out there.” She believes, “Sometimes, your ‘way out there thought’ inspires another idea that’s even better.” Then adds, “I wish I had been braver early in my career.”

It’s a euphoria-brokering economy. McMahon’s best show of 2024: “Our whole office went to the final Taylor Swift show in L.A. to celebrate. It was a blast! Watching our two middle-aged office metalheads singing along and loving the show as much as the 24-year-old Super Swifties: that’s the power of a great show!”