Books are the most powerful tool I know to connect people and change perspectives; they are the keys to a more empathetic and inclusive society. My mission as a leader is to ensure the life-changing power of reading is available to everyone, regardless of their starting point, specifically to improve the life chances of those who have been historically overlooked.
I have always viewed publishing as a team sport, yet our industry has often been perceived as difficult to break into. To ensure Pan Macmillan remains vibrant and relevant, I am advocating for what I call a “radical welcome” to dismantle those systemic barriers. This isn’t just a philosophy; we are actively building a culture that puts people first and promotes literacy as the ultimate engine for social mobility.
My entry into publishing was serendipitous – a fortnight covering a friend’s role – but I was instantly captivated by the business of storytelling. Following a formative period as Editor of the Sunday Telegraph Magazine, I joined Penguin in 1998, spending twenty-three years climbing the ranks to serve as Managing Director for over a decade. Throughout my career, I have been committed to industry-wide advocacy, serving as President of the Publishers Association and as a long-standing Trustee, Chair and Patron of the Women’s Prize Trust – founded to address a systemic imbalance: the historical marginalization of female voices in major literary awards and review culture. Those years shaped my conviction that while we deal in words, we are fundamentally a people business. You cannot publish for the whole world if your own team doesn’t reflect it. I’ve learned that the most transformative ideas rarely come from the loudest voices, but from an equitable and psychologically safe environment where every colleague feels empowered to contribute.
Since joining Pan Macmillan as CEO in 2022, I have worked to prove that a purpose-led business can be a commercial powerhouse. In 2025, we celebrated our most successful year on record, fueled by a list that balances massive commercial appeal with profound cultural impact. We publish world-class authors like David Baldacci, Kristin Hannah and Douglas Stuart, alongside rigorous investigative work from Patrick Radden-Keefe. This commercial strength directly fuels our mission to make the world a more empathetic place. We’ve seen this excellence recognised at the highest levels with authors like Percival Everett, the British Book Awards’ Author of the Year, whose work challenges and expands the cultural conversation.
Our “radical welcome” is tangibly reflected in a publishing list that champions diverse perspectives and tackles systemic challenges. In 2025, inclusive titles that achieved critical acclaim included Suzi Ruffell’s Am I Having Fun Now?, Dr. Keon West’s The Science of Racism, and Theo Parish’s Homebody – all securing major industry award wins and shortlistings. These books do more than reflect the world; they ensure every reader feels seen and valued. We remain committed to publishing boldly and bravely; works like Sarah Wynn-Williams’ Careless People have become vital touchstones in the national discourse, proving that books are still the most effective medium for navigating complex societal issues.
Beyond our office walls, 2026 marks a turning point as a founding partner and key funder of the National Year of Reading. As I argued in my keynote at this year’s London Book Fair, this initiative is a vital rescue mission for literacy in the UK and at Pan Macmillan, we are lobbying to treat literacy as essential infrastructure, ensuring that reading is recognized as a non-negotiable tool for every child to change their story. This commitment to representation is also mirrored in our five-year headline sponsorship of the Black British Book Festival, a partnership designed to champion marginalized voices and build a genuine pipeline for underrepresented talent. We are also harnessing our most beloved brands for social good; for instance, we are launching a multi-year collaboration between the National Literacy Trust and Magic Light Pictures using Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s The Gruffalo to reach 4,000 children in high-needs areas by 2027. By using the superpower of a character like the Gruffalo, we can lower the barriers to entry for children who might otherwise feel books are “not for them.”
My work continues as Chair of the National Literacy Trust, where we aim to reach over a million children by 2027. Literacy is a right, not a privilege. If you can’t read, you are locked out of the world; if you can, you are the master of your own mind. Receiving an OBE for services to publishing and literacy was a humbling milestone, but in this National Year of Reading, it serves primarily as a reminder that the door is finally opening – and my job is to make sure it stays that way.