PRH to expand to Southeast Asia in 2019

9 October 2018 Books+Publishing

Penguin Random House (PRH) will launch a publishing operation in Southeast Asia in 2019.

Based in Singapore, the new company will publish local and international writers across the English language, in adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction formats, for Singapore and Malaysia, as well as from Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei and Myanmar (Burma). The company, currently named Penguin Books Singapore, will begin by publishing a list of 50 titles in print and digital formats.

Penguin Books Singapore will join the publisher’s North Asia (China and South Korea) and India businesses, which currently represent PRH in Asia.

PRH India CEO Gaurav Shrinagesh will oversee Penguin Books Singapore, and Nora Nazerene Abu Bakar will act as the new company’s executive editor, beginning in November 2018. Bakar will be responsible for building the local publishing list, and managing acquisitions and author relationships, with close retailer and marketing support initially from PRH India. Bakar has 12 years’ experience in the publishing industry, including previous roles at Pearson Education South Asia and, most recently, Marshall Cavendish Education.

PRH CEO Markus Dohle said, ‘We are pleased to announce the launch of our Singapore-based Penguin Random House South East publishing operation, which joins our thriving imprints in India and China and our growing English-language publishing programmes worldwide. This new trade publishing program with original books written by local authors is a natural extension and complement to the longstanding business we have selling adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction by our international authors into this vibrant market and community.’

Shrinagesh added: ‘These are exciting times for book lovers, as publishing transcends geographies and languages to open access to literature from all over the world. Penguin Random House’s expansion into South East will broaden our audience reach and local consumer insights to create publishing opportunities to further develop our editorial portfolio by supporting local authors in emerging markets and building their audiences.’

Category: International news