LBF25 reveals Main Stage keynote speakers, Charity of the Year for 2025, and Seminar Programme highlights
- Hachette CEO David Shelley and James Daunt of Waterstones and Barnes & Noble to appear on Day 1
- #Merky Books authors William Rayfet Hunter and Taylor-Dior Rumble to round off Day 3
- Speakers from Disney Streaming, Publishers Association, United Nations, Chalkboard Productions, Nielsen BookData, Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Bloomsbury, Taylor & Francis, DK and more among programme highlights
- The Reading Agency named Charity of the Year for 2025
London, Thursday 16 January 2025: The London Book Fair (LBF) is delighted to announce the keynote speakers for Days 1 and 3 for its Main Stage, who will be headlining the popular theatre at next year’s Fair (11-13 March 2025), alongside other Seminar Programme highlights.
Returning to its home at Olympia London, LBF25 will be back as the first book trade event of the new year, and the meeting-place for the global publishing community to develop relationships, gain insights, and define the future of creative content. From panel discussions to special exhibitor areas, key themes in the Seminar Programme of LBF25 include: AI and copyright; digital accessibility in publishing; book-to-screen adaptations; sustainability, diversity and inclusion; and a renewed focus on academic publishing.
Confirmed keynotes that will appear on the Main Stage across the three days of the Fair include: David Shelley, CEO of Hachette UK and US; James Daunt CBE, Managing Director of Waterstones and CEO of Barnes & Noble; William Rayfet Hunter, author and winner of the #Merky Books New Writers’ Prize 2022; and novelist and journalist Taylor-Dior Rumble, author of The Situationship. The keynote speakers for Day 2 will be announced in due course.
The announcement of the Main Stage line-up comes with the news that The Reading Agency has been selected as the Charity of the Year for 2025. Born with the mission to get people of all ages to read, The Reading Agency champions the proven power of reading by providing activities for all ages, working with public libraries, schools, prisons and low-resource community settings.
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In 2023/24, they reached 2.4 million children, young people and adults across the UK, demonstrating the incredible benefits of reading for pleasure. From The Summer Reading Challenge to World Book Night, their programmes have positively impacted millions of people, boosting the enjoyment and confidence in reading, and improving wellbeing. The Reading Agency will be part of LBF’s Main Stage line-up on Day 3, with a session about their popular Quick Reads programme.
Highlights across the Seminar Programme’s three days include:
Tuesday 11th March
10.15 – 10.45 Leading Businesses on Both Sides of the Atlantic: In Conversation with James Daunt and David Shelley
Main Stage – Keynote Session
In this engaging session, two distinguished industry leaders will delve into the evolving landscape of the publishing industry, exploring how it is adapting to the dynamic and shifting consumer expectations on a global scale, with a special focus on cross-Atlantic book publishing and sales. They will share their invaluable insights and best practices for navigating these changes, highlighting innovative strategies that publishers and booksellers can employ to meet the demands of today’s readers.
Speakers: James Daunt CBE, Founder of Daunt Books, Managing Director at Waterstones and CEO of Barnes & Noble; David Shelley, CEO of Hachette Book Group USA and Hachette UK
Moderator: Alex Peake-Tomkinson, Journalist
11.15 – 12.00 Faster, Higher, Stronger? The UK & International Book Markets in 2024
Main Stage
Offering an unprecedented global view of the book markets, with data sourced from 17 countries, this Nielsen BookData talk will provide the audience with a comprehensive overview of consumer book buying in 2024. Did 2024 continue to experience international book market values buoyed by rising prices? Which categories show volume growth? In which format are readers consuming their fiction and non-fiction and what trends are seen for children’s book buying? An even deeper understanding of the UK book consumer can then be found at the Annual Books & Consumers presentation in London on 27th March.
Speaker: Steve Bohme, Research Director, Nielsen BookData
15.00 – 15.45 AI and Copyright: Policy Developments in the UK and US
Main Stage
AI is here to stay and so are the policy debates that will shape its development and deployment for years to come. In particular, many publishers around the world are watching developments in the UK and US, where regulators, legislators, and courts are weighing legal disputes that could have global ramifications for copyright laws. Please join us for a British, American, and decidedly human discussion on the most important issue of the day.
Speakers: Maria Pallante, President and Chief Executive Officer, Association of American Publishers; Dan Conway, CEO, The Publishers Association
Moderator: Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief, Publishing Perspectives
15.15 – 15.45 Digital Accessibility – Are You Ready for June 28, 2025?
Tech Theatre
Accessibility is a challenge to all of us, but it’s also a huge opportunity. With key standards needing to be met by 28 June 2025 to satisfy the European Accessibility Act (EAA), this panel will help steer you in the right direction to ensure compliance by this deadline. We will discuss the high priority steps you need to take and advise on ways to approach it. We will also explore what needs to be done and provide insights into how to get it done. In addition, this discussion will focus on how publishers are making the best use of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their transition to accessibility.
Speakers: Jessica Stock, Director, Sunrise Setting Ltd; Achim Bosse Chitty, Head of Production – Academic and Professional Division, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc; Stacy Scott, Head of Accessibility, Taylor & Francis Group
Moderator: James Yanchek, Production Technologies Manager, Taylor & Francis
Wednesday 12th March
11.15 – 12.00 In-Conversation with Liu Zhenyun: A Literary Icon of Contemporary China
Literary Translation Centre
Dive into the world of Liu Zhenyun, one of China’s most celebrated authors and screenwriters, whose sharp wit and masterful storytelling have earned him international acclaim. Best known for his award-winning novel Someone to Talk To and the global hit film I Am Not Madame Bovary, Liu will be the reading ambassador of Beijing International Book Fair, exploring the universal appeal of his stories, the intersection of literature and film, and how Chinese storytelling is reshaping the global literary landscape.
Speaker: Liu Zhenyu, Author
Moderator: Alicia Liu, CEO, Singing Grass
15.00 – 15.45 From Book to Screen: Transforming a Best-selling Book into a Hit TV Series
Main Stage
Join us for an engaging panel discussion featuring Sunday Times bestselling author Lucy Clarke, who’ll be discussing the adaptation of her novel, The Castaways, into a hit series for Paramount+. Lucy will be joined by the executive producer of the series, Mike Benson, and screenwriter, Ben Harris, alongside her literary agent, Judith Murray. This session will delve into the fascinating world of book-to-screen adaptations, focusing on the creative and logistical challenges, while also asking: What makes a book ripe for adaptation?
Speakers: Lucy Clarke, Author; Ben Harris, Screenwriter; Judith Murray, Literary Agent, Greene & Heaton; Mike Benson, Creative Director, Chalkboard Productions
Moderator: Fee Mak, Radio and TV Presenter Westside Talent
Thursday 13th March
10.15 – 10.45 Cultivating the Next Generation of Readers
Main Stage – Keynote Session
Join us for an insightful session dedicated to shaping the future of reading through diversity and inclusion. Writers Will Rayfet Hunter (Winner of #Merky Books New Writers’ Prize 2022) and Taylor-Dior Rumble (author of The Situationship) will explore critical themes such as the evolving landscape of readers, the importance of diverse representation in literature, and the joy of reading for pleasure.
Speakers: Will Rayfet Hunter, Writer, Winner of #Merky Books New Writers’ Prize 2022; Taylor-Dior Rumble, Writer
Moderator: Natasha Poliszczuk, Content Director, BookBrunch
11.15 – 12.00 Turning the Page: Publishing’s Role in Keeping the Focus on Sustainability
Main Stage
While the industry has embraced a wide range of initiatives — such as expanding the list of titles that explore sustainability, engaging new voices and audiences, promoting diversity, advancing accessible publishing, supporting literacy, and adopting greener production methods — it can be difficult to gauge the true impact of these efforts. This session will explore the challenges of staying committed to sustainability in all aspects from acquisitions and marketing to distribution, measuring progress effectively, and making tangible strides on complex global issues, while showcasing inspiring examples of what publishers have already accomplished and what more can be done.
Speakers: Gvantsa Jobava, President, IPA; Mary Glenn, Chief, United Nations Publications, United Nations
Moderator: Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief, Publishing Perspectives
12.15 – 12.45 How Non-Fiction Publishing Leaders Can Reliably Leverage AI-Assisted Author Content to Optimise Revenue & Production Time
Tech Theatre
What would your business’ performance look like if non-fiction authors submitted original, high-quality book manuscripts needing little to no editing on time? Most publishers lose significant revenue waiting for authors who struggle to produce work worth publishing. Some books take years to materialize, others never do. There is no doubt AI is disrupting the publishing industry, bringing some ethical and legal challenges with it. But if AI-assisted content can be harnessed in the right way, the growth opportunities available to publishers are enormous. This talk explores the role of AI in non-fiction author content and showcases the latest innovation in non-fiction book production.
Speakers: Georgia Kirke, Founder & Director, Write Business Results and ClioTech; Anirvan Chakraborty, VP Software Engineering, Disney Streaming & VP Engineering at DuckDuckGo; David Howell, Director, Kenwell & David Howell Associates
13.45 – 14.30 Quick Reads: Building a Diverse and Inclusive Reading Community
Main Stage
1 in 6 people do not read well due to barriers relating to functional skills and confidence, having English as second language or poor experiences at school. Quick Reads tackles these challenges with short but engaging content from well-known authors, specially adapted to be accessible for less confident readers and covering a range of genres. Delivered by The Reading Agency working with publishers, authors and community partners, the programme has helped start new reading journeys in prisons, workplaces and the community. For some, Quick Reads has enabled them to finish and enjoy a book for the first time, for others it has helped to refresh a lapsed reading habit.
Speaker: Dr. Carina Spaulding, Head of Research and Evaluation, The Reading Agency
Moderator: Debbie Hicks, MBE, Creative Director, The Reading Agency
James Daunt CBE, Managing Director of Waterstones and CEO of Barnes & Noble, said: “I am delighted to be speaking on the first day of The London Book Fair 2025. In my conversation with David Shelley, I look forward to discussing how the industry operates across both sides of the Atlantic, and how it adapts to ever-changing reader tastes. Over the years, LBF has hosted a number of engaging panel discussions on its Main Stage, and I look forward to joining a line-up of very distinguished speakers on the stage next year.”
Taylor-Dior Rumble, Author and Keynote Speaker, said: “I’m thrilled that my first time at this year’s London Book Fair will actually have me taking part in it! I still remember the nerve-racking emails about my own debut being presented here so this feels like such a full-circle moment. I can’t wait to connect and reconnect with fellow storytellers, passionate readers and publishers.”
Karen Napier MBE, CEO of The Reading Agency, said: “We’re delighted to be The London Book Fair’s charity partner of the year. At a challenging time when only half of UK adults are reading regularly and children’s reading engagement is declining nationally, our work has never been more vital. Programmes like Quick Reads and the national Summer Reading Challenge are bucking the trend. This recognition helps us to expand our crucial work supporting people of all ages to discover the life-changing power of reading.”
Adam Ridgway, Director of The London Book Fair, said: “We are excited to unveil such an illustrious line-up of speakers for our Main Stage. With speakers whose expertise spans retail, global publishing, film production, fiction writing, literary rights and beyond, these Keynotes will truly set the tone for the topics that will absorb the industry over the course of the coming year. We are looking forward to announcing further speakers and details in the coming months.
