Bristol University Press caught up with new CEO Kathryn Earle to discuss her vision for the Press, the opportunities ahead and the evolving role of purpose-driven academic publishing.
Bringing more than 30 years of experience in scholarly and digital publishing, Kathryn Earle joins Bristol University Press from Bloomsbury Publishing, where she most recently served as Managing Director of Bloomsbury Digital Resources, leading the strategy, development and global delivery of a portfolio of scholarly digital products.
As she takes the helm following Alison Shaw’s 35-year leadership of Policy Press and Bristol University Press, Kathryn shares her ambitions for the Press’s next chapter, from building on its strong foundations and distinctive mission to expanding its reach, impact and influence internationally.
What attracted you to the CEO role at Bristol University Press, and what are your first priorities?
First and foremost, I greatly admire the list that has been built at both Policy Press and, more recently, BUP, and the stated mission of publishing with a purpose. That mission has never been more important than now. Being in a position to further our impact is incredibly appealing to me – the idea that we can, and do, make a difference to real lives. My priority is to get to grips with all functions as quickly as possible so as to develop a robust business plan that will serve as a blueprint for our next phase.
How do you see Bristol University Press differentiating itself in an increasingly competitive academic publishing landscape?
To publish with a purpose really means something here. It is an ethos that has shaped everything, from the obvious, such as what we publish, to author care, supplier relationships and staff welfare. That is very unusual – i.e. to practise what we preach across everything because we want to improve lives.
What would success look like for the Press in three to five years’ time?
There is so much we can build on here. The legacy I am inheriting from Alison Shaw is a gift. The Press already punches far above its weight in its core subjects, and that creates a virtuous circle. The deeper our lists, the more gravitational pull they exert, the more people learn about us, and the more impact we have. So, success for me is many things: going deep, building our profile, increasing our impact, making a difference to real lives – all the while ensuring that we are in a strong position, not only to sustain, but to grow our activities and influence.
Are there particular opportunities or challenges that you think the Press should be focusing on right now?
Unfortunately, the world is a challenging place for publishers and universities at the moment, and while I very much hope that situation improves, we have to accept that there is a good chance it won’t, at least in the near to medium term. Preparing for headwinds is critical. Navigating geopolitical events, assaults on higher education that are very much out of step with the values we uphold, declining demographics in key territories, lower overseas student enrolments, and AI (an opportunity as well as a threat) are all challenges we face in an increasingly complex world. However, certainly for BUP, I see significant opportunities for global and digital expansion.
Where do you see the biggest growth opportunities – for example, books, journals, open access, international markets or digital products?
I am format agnostic. Growth can come from any of these areas, but people must want the content. It’s the content that drives the sale.
How do you view the balance between commercial growth and our academic and social mission?
They are inextricably intertwined. Money is really only interesting because of what it enables us to do. If we care about our mission – and clearly we very much do – we have to care about the mechanism that enables us to disseminate our authors’ work as widely and as successfully as possible.
What have been the most important lessons from your career so far?
Focus is massively important. One of my favourite quotes is from Steve Jobs, who said of his time at Apple: “I’m as proud of many of the things we haven’t done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying no to a thousand things.” I really find that profound. Most of us are increasingly stretched and yet it is so hard to say no to a great idea or to an activity that we would like to do, possibly in support of something that really matters to us. But single-mindedness, clarity of purpose and understanding limitations really deliver. There is not much point in taking things on that you can’t do really well, no matter how compelling. Time is not elastic. Other lessons: treat people as you would want to be treated. Clarity is vital. Consensus is overrated. Honesty really matters. Don’t be afraid to say what you think.
What kind of organisational culture are you hoping to build?
Clear, honest, ambitious, purposeful, inspired.
How can we best demonstrate the impact and value of the Press to university leadership?
I think we are already very good at showing impact through metrics, and I believe university leadership is aware and supportive of the value we bring. However, there is always room for improvement. Commercial success, awards, heightened profile, real-world impacts will all help to build international presence and enable future growth.
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