Charkin to chair Thames & Hudson board

In the UK, Richard Charkin has been appointed chair of the board of Thames & Hudson Ltd (T&H), effective 1 January 2026, the company has announced.

Charkin has been a publisher and educator since 1972. During his career, he has held senior executive positions at publishers including Oxford University Press, Reed International Books, Macmillan Publishers and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck, and was executive director of Bloomsbury Publishing for 11 years. Charkin has experience as chair in the UK and internationally, including with Macmillan Australia and Bloomsbury Australia.

Johanna Neurath, chair of the group’s holding company Thames & Hudson Publishing, said, “[Charkin’s appointment is] an important milestone in the company’s history that reflects our commitment to innovation whilst remaining true to the values that have shaped us for generations. Richard’s exceptional experience, infectious enthusiasm for publishing, and deep knowledge of the industry will help keep T&H stable and flourishing in years to come.”

In response, Richard Charkin said, “It will be a joy to work in a family-owned independent publisher with the highest standards of scholarship, design, integrity, and professionalism. The combination of brilliant books and brilliant publishing is irresistible.”

Charkin is also the co-author of My Back Pages: An Undeniably Personal History of Publishing 1972–2022 (with Tom Campbell, Marble Hill Publishers). See an extract of Charkin’s book on the Books+Publishing website.

Category: International news