Tuesday, March 10
10–10:45 a.m.
Keynote Interview: Tom Weldon, CEO of Penguin Random House U.K.
Weldon will discuss publishing trends, his optimism for the industry’s future, Penguin Random House’s efforts to build a pipeline of readers, and the opportunities presented by the National Year of Reading. (Main stage)
10:15–10:45 a.m.
U.K. and International Book Market Sales and Trends in 2025
NielsenIQ BookData’s Suzy Warnock will present the latest consumer sales tracking
data, spotlighting standout authors, bestselling titles, and trends shaping fiction, nonfiction, and children’s publishing across the U.K. and international markets. (Tech Theatre)
11–11:45 a.m.
How to Survive and Thrive in a Post-Search World
As readers begin favoring AI assistants over traditional search engines, this panel with author Jamie Bartlett, Sarah Posner (Bonnier Books U.K.), and Karen Ronde (Danish Press Publications), chaired by Searsha Sadek (Shimmr AI), will explore what the shift means for book discovery and trust in recommendations. (Main stage)
11:15–11:45 a.m.
Beyond the Gatekeepers: Reaching New Readers and Communities in Publishing
Curated by the Black British Book Festival as part of the National Year of Reading, this panel will feature Que the Wolf (Dopereaders) and DD Armstrong (Jacaranda Books) on how to reach readers and communities that publishing often overlooks. (Salon)
Noon–12:45 p.m.
Creative of the Fair—In Conversation with Alice Oseman
Bestselling author-illustrator and Emmy-winning Heartstopper screenwriter Alice Oseman will talk about their career, from landing a publishing deal at 17 to becoming Attitude Person of the Year and British Book Awards Illustrator of the Year. Chaired by Rachel Wade (Hachette Children’s Group). (Main stage)
Noon–12:30 p.m.
Trends in Academic Publishing 2026
Deanta’s Patrick Shafe will present key findings from their 2026 survey looking at the evolution and impact of AI on publishers of books and journals, and explores what the future may hold. (Tech Theatre)
Noon–12:45 p.m.
Mai Jia: A Landmark Year for a Modern Chinese Master
Penguin Modern Classics is releasing Mai Jia’s acclaimed novels Decoded and In the Dark this summer—a rare milestone for a contemporary Chinese author. Representatives from his U.K. publishers at PRH and Bloomsbury will discuss the launch. (Reading China pavilion, 6D101)
12:10–12:55 p.m.
Ecosystem of Social for an Author
BookBrunch’s Natasha Poliszczuk will chair a discussion with author Emma Gannon, book influencer Zubs J Malik, and Caley Routledge (the Pitch Agency) on navigating today’s digital landscape, Substack’s growing influence, whether TikTok still sells books, and community-building for authors. (Author HQ)
12:15–12:45 p.m.
Her Voice: Tackling the Gender Gap in Non-fiction Publishing
The Women’s Prize Trust will present research showing women wrote only 26.5% of reviewed nonfiction and won just 33.3% of major prizes over the past decade. Womens Trust executive director Claire Shanahan, author Roma Agrawal, agent Maria Whelan (Mushens Entertainment), and Kirty Topiwala (Hodder & Stoughton) will discuss what needs to happen for this to change. (Salon)
12:45–1 p.m.
Narrator of the Fair—Readings with Ray Porter
A selection of readings by American actor and audiobook narrator Porter—winner of an Audie Award for Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary and narrator of more than 500 titles. (Tech Theatre)
2–2:30 p.m.
In Conversation with Bob Carrigan, CEO of Audible
As Audible marks 20 years in the U.K., CEO Bob Carrigan will discuss the evolution of the audiobook category, opportunities for publishers and authors, audio’s role in engaging new readers, and emerging trends in the audio space. (Main stage)
3–3:45 p.m.
Innovation, Change & Capability: A First Look at Publishing’s New Leadership Roles
Moderated by Nadim Sadek (Shimmr AI), panelists Anna Lemp (Hachette), Sarah Posner (Bonnier Books UK), Jessica Hanak-Hammerl (Simon & Schuster UK), and Keith Riegert (Stable Book Group) will explore why publishers are creating new jobs committed to innovation and transformation. (International stage)
4–4:45 p.m.
The Rise and Rise of the Authorpreneur
Alliance of Independent Authors director Orna Ross will chair a conversation with Thad McIlroy (the Future of Publishing) and author Debbie Young on what it means to be an “authorpreneur” today, with insights from ALLi’s new Indie Author Income Survey. (Author HQ)
4:15–5 p.m.
Small Is Beautiful? Africa’s Independent Book Publishers
This panel will highlight women’s contributions across the African publishing ecosystem, with Charity Kwatampora (Oxford Brookes University) and Ama Dadson (AkooBooks Audio) discussing innovation, creativity, and representation in print and digital publishing across Africa and its diaspora. (International stage)
4:30–5:15 p.m.
The Future of Marketing & Publicity
A panel featuring author Eve Wersocki-Morris, Cynthia Hamilton (the History Press), Polly Osborn (Simon & Schuster UK), and Sriya Varadharajan (Penguin Michael Joseph) on how marketing and publicity roles are evolving and merging in today’s media landscape. (Salon)
5–5:45 p.m.
Self-Publishing or the Traditional Model: The Inside Track
Chaired by Natasha Poliszczuk (BookBrunch), author Emma Gannon, Sam Eades (S&S), and Paige Allen (IngramSpark) will compare the realities of self-publishing and traditional publishing—editing, direct selling, reaching readers, and profit margins. (Author HQ)
