By: Naomi van Groll
In the first week of January 2025, I had the privilege of attending the NYU Advanced Publishing Institute (NYU API) 5-day course. Overlooking Washington Square Park in New York, I joined around 50 exceptional peers from the industry around the world to learn about the future of publishing.
The view from the Kimmel Center, Washington Square Park.
The NYU API is a premier executive education course designed for mid to senior-level publishing professionals interested in the latest strategies and business practices in book publishing. I gained valuable perspectives from international book publishers on the future of academic publishing and the book industry in general.
Some highlights include:
- Learning from David Shelley, CEO of Hachette, that 2024 saw the most books sold globally ever.
- Dissecting market dynamics and author agreements with Madeline McIntosh, former CEO of Penguin Random House and current co-founder and CEO of Authors Equity.
- Exploring the value of mentorship with Dhonielle Clayton, author and COO of We Need Diverse Books, a non-profit organisation that advocates for the production and promotion of more inclusive literature.
- Discovering cross-media possibilities for SUP with Lee Jarit, Global Head of Publisher and Partner Relations at Audible, who advised that audiobook sales have outstripped physical book sales in a 5-year aggregate and acknowledged the resurgence of video as a medium, noting that many podcasts now share recordings on platforms like YouTube.
- Analysing the importance of production value and local community to booksellers with James Daunt, CEO of Barnes & Noble, and Emma and Michael Fusco-Straub, owners of Books Are Magic.
- Hearing the inspiring story of how Amandeep Kochar became CEO of Baker & Taylor, the largest supplier of library content in the US.
- Discussing the possibilities of AI in publishing with Nadim Sadek, Keith Riegert, Trip Adler and Anna Tavis – both exciting and daunting!
- Transforming traditional marketing into data analysis and growth specialisation with Mary McAveney, CEO of Abrams, and Holly Smith of Expansive eCommerce.
- Breaking down the publisher–agent relationship with Molly Stern, founder and CEO of Zando Publishing, and Jay Mandel, worldwide head of WME Books.
These discussions have inspired me to share new perspectives on publishing trends and processes with the team at SUP to better support our books and our authors.
NYI API course attendees for 2025.
This trip also allowed me to meet NY-based contacts at the New York Review of Books, make connections with Audible colleagues, and learn about library structures in New York and Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Public Library.
I was lucky enough to meet with Sophie McGrath, Learning & Development Partner at Brooklyn Public Library, to discuss how it operates and acquires books. The similarities and contrasts between systems in the Brooklyn Public Library and the University of Sydney Library were fascinating, and the inherent respect for library members and dedication to servicing the Brooklyn community were wonderful to see.
Exploring Brooklyn Public Library.
I am so grateful to the University of Sydney’s Radford Scholarship program for the opportunity to make new friends and contacts across the publishing space, and to find inspiration to explore new possibilities at SUP now and in the years to come. I can’t wait to delve deeper into the potential of AI, community engagement and strategic marketing in 2025.