AMANDA PUNTER
Beckenham,Kent
Summary
Creative publisher with a deep understanding of storytelling, author talent and brand-building. Able to devise and execute wide-ranging initiatives across multiple markets, categories and stakeholders. Strategic, consumer-focused and results-driven leader with proven ability to drive growth and improve profitability. Skilled people manager, building inclusive, high-performing teams.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Publishing Director & IP Acquisitions Director
Penguin Random House UK
London
02.2022 - Current
- Leading publishing for largest children's imprint in UK, worth over £72m; operating in multiple market categories, including recently launched graphic novel list and new voice-led MG imprint, Puffin Press
- Identifying/delivering to KPIs, including growing profit and share; member of Children's Senior Leadership Team
- Running team of over thirty indirect reports
- Profitably overseeing diverse portfolio of repeating brands and authors, valuable catalogue titles, emerging brands and new talent
- Extending existing IP to drive growth, evaluating new opportunities
- Identifying and resolving operational issues impacting productivity, performance or profitability
- Working closely with social impact team to deliver company programmes improving access to reading, including award-winning Lit in Colour initiative/Libraries for Primaries
Publishing Director, Puffin
Penguin Random House
London
01.2017 - 02.2022
- Nurtured key stakeholder relationships to facilitate growth
- Established Puffin's non-fiction publishing, including bestsellers Kay's Anatomy, One Hundred Steps and Sabina Radeva's illustrated On the Origin of Species; grew market share by 4%
- Devised PRHC preschool strategy in partnership with Ladybird Publishing Director; increased Puffin's preschool profitability by 80%
- Published prize-winning and bestselling picture books from Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola; Ed Vere and record-breakers Mark & Roxanne Hoyle, as well as many of the UK's bestselling fiction debuts
- Profitably increased representation of key communities across the Puffin list
Publishing Director, Fiction, Picture books & Classic Brands
PRH UK
01.2015 - 01.2017
- Strategically directed merged Random House Children's and Puffin lists across preschool, 6+ licensing, MG & YA
- Established profile-led strategy for 6+ list; led to acquisition of bestsellers Katie Kirby & Clare Balding
- Launched YA bestseller Karen McManus; began fiction debut strategy
- Drove growth across classic preschool brands including Spot, the World of Eric Carle and Peter Rabbit
Publishing Director, Fiction
Puffin, Penguin UK
01.2011 - 01.2015
- Strategically directed Puffin’s fiction list, from frontlist bestsellers like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, John Green’s The Fault in our Stars, Zoe Sugg’s Girl Online through to Puffin Classics and evergreen brands including Roald Dahl
- Grew fiction list consistently YOY, culminating in biggest contribution in company’s history of £40m+
- Contributed to strategy across Penguin Children’s as part of UK/US think tank
- Ran cross-divisional initiative generating Penguin’s own IP, including negotiating new business models with non-traditional partners
- Launched Roald Dahl digital strategy with two bestselling children’s apps based on The Twits
Publisher, Editorial Director & Senior Editor, Fiction
Puffin, Penguin UK
01.2007 - 01.2011
- Launched YA imprint, Razorbill, working closely with US/Australian/Canadian colleagues and exceeding targets
- Acquired/edited bestselling books from Marie Lu, Jenny Han and the Beautiful Creatures series, as well as hit MG titles by Charlie Higson, Cathy Cassidy and Simon Scarrow
Education
Master of Arts - English Literature
University of Toronto
Toronto, Canada 09.1998 - 06.1999
Bachelor of Arts - English Language And Literature
University of Birmingham
Birmingham 09.1994 - 06.1997
Qualifications in training/ Mentorship experience
Completed three senior leadership programmes including Harvard- and INSEAD-taught business strategy/financial leadership
Creative access mentor, supporting new entrants to publishing since 2020
Bromley youth mentor, supporting local vulnerable children and teens
Industry positions (held/previously held)
Letterbox Trust (improving access to books for looked-after children) advisory; World Book Day UK executive committee (3 years); Waterstones Children's Laureate Steering Group member; Children's Publishers Group representative
Timeline
Publishing Director & IP Acquisitions Director
Penguin Random House UK
02.2022 - Current
Publishing Director, Puffin
Penguin Random House
01.2017 - 02.2022
Publishing Director, Fiction, Picture books & Classic Brands
PRH UK
01.2015 - 01.2017
Publishing Director, Fiction
Puffin, Penguin UK
01.2011 - 01.2015
Publisher, Editorial Director & Senior Editor, Fiction
Puffin, Penguin UK
01.2007 - 01.2011
Master of Arts - English Literature
University of Toronto
09.1998 - 06.1999
Bachelor of Arts - English Language And Literature
University of Birmingham
09.1994 - 06.1997
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