It is with great respect for what she has accomplished since 2 January, 1993, that I announce that Sarah Foster will be moving on from her long-term position at Walker Books Australia.
Sarah set up Walker Books Australia 21 years ago. The company became profitable within three years, and Walker Books New Zealand followed in 1999. Under Sarah’s leadership, WBA became a thriving distributor, representing imported books not only from Walker in the UK and, later, Candlewick Press, but a number of well-regarded third party lists as well. Due to the efforts of the talented team of marketing and sales staff assembled by Sarah, and the highly dedicated nature of WBA’s focus and presence, Maisy, Wally, the Nutbrown Hares, Alex Rider and, most recently, the Shadowhunters have become household names for children and teens across ANZ.
After more than a decade of growing WBA’s reputation across Australia and New Zealand as MD, Sarah took on the additional title of publisher in 2007, hired creative staff, and built a successful and internationally award-winning list of titles, from picture books through to young adult fiction.
In 2010 Sarah was awarded the Children’s Book Council of Australia Lady Cutler Award for Distinguished Service to Children’s Literature. In 2011, Sarah led the contemporary Walker Group’s first-ever acquisition of another company’s list when she arranged the purchase of Black Dog Books.
WBA’s revenues stood at over AUD $12 million in 2013. In 2014 Walker Books Australia won the Bologna Prize for Best Children’s Publisher of the Year – Oceania Region.
Sarah’s last day in the office was on 4 July. We wish Sarah and her lovely family well in all their future endeavours, and thank her for her dedicated career at Walker Books.
About the Walker Books Group:
The Walker Books Group is one of the world’s leading independent publishers of books and content for children. This vibrant international group includes Walker Books UK, London; Candlewick Press, Somerville, Massachusetts; and Walker Books Australia, based in Sydney and Auckland. Renowned for its truly original publishing and outstanding quality, the Walker Books Group is home to books for readers of all ages. Award-winning authors and illustrators for the group include National Ambassador for Children’s Literature, Kate DiCamillo, M.T Anderson, Patrick Ness, and Jon Klassen, and major brands for the group are Maisy, Guess How Much I Love You, Tilly and Friends, the widely acclaimed Judy Moody and the bestselling Where’s Wally/Where’s Waldo.
Further information can be found at www.candlewick.com, www.walker.co.uk, and www.walkerbooks.com.au
