Ian Chapman. Image: Simon & Schuster
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
‘Great Talent, Great Attitude’
In an onstage conversation at the October 2023 edition of Sharjah Publishers Conference, Ian Chapman, the CEO of both Simon & Shuster UK and the company’s international interests, gave his interviewer, Jo Henry, one of those observations things that tend to stick with you:“There are a lot of people with great talent,” Chapman said.
“And there are a lot of people with great attitude.
“And there are very few people, in my experience, who’ve got both of them.”
Today (February 17), it was announced that one of those very few people with both the great talent and great attitude will be stepping down from his position: Chapman is to conclude his run at S&S UK in May, after celebrating his 25th anniversary with the company.
Chapman was named CEO and publisher of Simon & Schuster UK and International in July 2013. In this position, Chapman holds full responsibility for the publishing, editorial, marketing, and sales functions of Simon & Schuster UK, which publishes adult and children’s titles in both print and digital formats.
Chapman also holds overall responsibility for Simon & Schuster Australia and in 2011 added responsibility for Simon & Schuster India.
Karp: ‘A Beacon and a Stalwart Ally’
In the company’s media messaging today, Simon & Shuster president and CEO Jonathan Karp in New York announced Chapman’s coming departure, saying, “Through the years, Ian has demonstrated strong and steady leadership, driving dynamic growth in our UK, Australia, and India divisions, and earning the broad respect of the international publishing community.
Jonathan Karp
“Ian’s exceptional accomplishments were marked by two consecutive British Book Awards in 2022 and 2023 as Publisher of the Year alongside Children’s Publisher of the Year in 2023, a double rarely achieved.
“Describing the significance and sweep of what Ian has accomplished in his quarter-century of leadership is a daunting challenge.
“For all of his colleagues at Simon & Schuster, Ian has been a beacon and a stalwart ally. For all of our authors, he has been an enthusiastic and effective champion. The number of authors he has published to great success and acclaim is far too numerous to mention, but the list is long and storied, and their books will be read long after all of us have retired.”
Chapman: ‘We’ve Built Something Very Special Together’
And Chapman, in today’s announcement, says, “I have had the most wonderful time doing a job I love, building a hugely talented and delightful team throughout the UK, Australia, India and other international territories outside of the United States [where he started in publishing] working in the world of books.
“I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved. I’m grateful to the authors who have trusted us with their work. It has been a privilege to publish you.”Ian Chapman, Simon & Schuster UK
“I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved and leave a legacy of a great publishing company following a period of rapid growth. I’m grateful to the authors who have trusted us with their work. It has been a privilege to publish you.
“In Simon & Schuster UK, Australia, and India, we’ve built something very special together and I’m immensely appreciative of my immediate team and all my colleagues for their support and dedication over the years.”
A notably jovial, warm, supportive personality to many of his colleagues—Chapman led S&S’ UK company to win the Publisher of the Year Award in the 2022 and 2023 British Book Awards, and Children’s Publisher of the Year in 2023.
Prior to joining Simon & Schuster, Chapman was managing director of Macmillan General Books, with overall publishing responsibility for the Macmillan, Picador, Pan and Sidgwick & Jackson imprints. He has also held editorial and publishing positions at Pan Macmillan and Hodder & Stoughton, and in the United States at William Morrow, Berkley and Doubleday. Chapman was a member of the Publishers Association Council for eight years. He is also Chair of the Book Trade Charity (BTBS).
More from Publishing Perspectives on Simon & Schuster is here, more on Simon & Schuster UK is here, more on Simon & Schuster Australia is here, more on the Indian market is here, and more on the United Kingdom’s market is here.