By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
See also: Simon & Schuster To Acquire the Netherlands’ VBK
Chapman: ‘To Achieve an Even Wider Readership’
In an announcement from Melbourne this morning (August 26), Simon & Schuster Australia and Affirm Press report signing an agreement that will see Affirm become part of S&S Australia.
Affirm Press is to continue to maintain its brand independence, we understand, operating as a subsidiary of Simon & Schuster Australia. Once more following through on the concept that “employee engagement and a strong ownership culture are decisive factors in strengthening the combined publisher,” Affirm Press employees will be able to benefit from the Simon & Schuster broad-based ownership program.
This, of course, is part of the arrangement we saw in May, as Simon & Schuster announced its acquisition of Utrecht’s Veen Bosch & Keuning (VBK), the first of the international acquisitions talked about during our keynote interview at London Book Fair in March with Jonathan Karp, the president and CEO of Simon & Schuster.
The new Australian acquisition is to include all of Affirm Press publishing in Australia, with terms of the transaction remaining undisclosed. Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.
Affirm Press, established in 2010 and becoming “a full-time enterprise” in 2013, is described as publishing Australian authors in fiction, nonfiction and children’s books (since 2017). Its principals include:
- Owner Martin Hughes, CEO and publishing director
- Sales and finance director Keiran Rogers
- Rounder and Adidem Group chair, Graeme Wise
According to today’s media messaging, Affirm Press is the fastest-growing independent publisher in Australia, though the criteria of that description are not offered.
S&S Australia takes today’s opportunity to point out its own fast growth in that market “over recent years through its investment in local publishing and audio; growth in internationally supplied titles; and through partnering with local and international client publishers.”
S&S Australia tells the news media this morning that the new deal with Affirm Press “will expand [S&S’] local publishing program, including venturing further into children’s book publishing. And by entering its agreement with S&S, Affirm is said to have a strategic ally with which “to achieve its long-term ambitions for growth in areas such as technology, production, and international opportunities.”
Hughes: ‘Joining a Company With Operational Scale’
In commentary on today’s announcement, Ian Chapman, S&S UK and international CEO and publisher, says, “Affirm is a company I’ve long held in high esteem, albeit from afar.
Ian Chapman
“Their publishing passion and excellence have always shone brightly through, authors and their work at the heart of everything they do.
“I’m immensely proud of S&S Australia, made the more so by this moment where we welcome Martin, Keiran, and Affirm to the S&S family. The global reach and publishing prowess, with the support of S&S’ US, UK, and Indian publishing companies, will provide even greater possibilities for Affirm’s authors and books to achieve an even wider readership. These are exciting times for us all.”
Dan Ruffino
Dan Ruffino, S&S Australia’s managing director, says, “We’re thrilled to partner with Martin, Keiran, and the team at Affirm Press to continue their remarkable growth of recent years.
They have impressive and robust plans and a culture that aligns strategically with our vision for the future in the Australian and New Zealand markets and we cannot wait to begin working with them.’
And for Affirm Press, Hughes says, “Loving what we do, and being passionate about our work, has always been essential to Keiran and me.
Martin Hughes
“Ironically, our success has been the greatest threat to this because with big business can come big headaches. We’re immensely proud to have built Affirm Press to the company it is today, and excited at the opportunity to become part of the enormously impressive Simon & Schuster network.
“Joining a company with operational scale makes eminent sense to us, and we’re looking forward to once again focusing on what we love most—creating, producing, publishing, and selling books that will leave the community better off.”
S&S Australia has recently launched two new local imprints: Summit Books Australia, publishing international fiction and nonfiction, and Bundyi Publishing, focused on publishing books by First Nations authors—with First Nations editors and designers.
More from Publishing Perspectives on Simon & Schuster is here, more on international publishing is here, more on the Australian market is here, and more on mergers and acquisitions is here.