Three reasons the Publishers’ Forum in Berlin is relevant to you

The Publishers’ Forum (April 27 and 28, 2015 in Berlin) analyzes and discusses the transformations in the German book market in an international context and from a variety of different perspectives. Three reasons why this is relevant for you:

Reason 1: financing – what options are available to independent publishers?

First off, the subject of publishers’ objectives and their finance strategies. A glance at the global book publisher rankings makes one thing clear: the biggest publishers obtain their financing via the stock exchange or via bond issues (traded on a regulated market). But what other options are available to classical publishing houses (family-run businesses) that wish to remain independent? Management consultant and investor, Aljoscha Walser (GER), poses this question in his presentation on the theme “Money and Strategy” at the beginning of the conference.

Reason 2: e-books for people who simply cannot buy traditional books

Or, secondly, “the potential of e-books”. Certainly, scrutiny of their modest growth in many areas is important as a barometer for the development of the market in Germany, but it takes an organization like Worldreader (www.worldreader.org) to reveal the truescope of the potential of e-books.

15,000 titles on mobile phones for 180,000 people

Launched five years ago, Worldreader is already active in more than 50 (developing) countries and provides mobile access to a catalog of more than 15,000 titles to more than 180,000 people who would otherwise have little or no access to books and thus to knowledge and learning.

Rights acquisition: a fine balance between asking for donations and supporting local publishers

In Berlin, Colin McElwee (UK), one of the three founders of Worldreader, will tell us which advanced technologies made the initiative possible in the first place and what priorities their rights acquisition policy sets. Special attention is given to the acquisition of books from local publishers in the target countries, while major publishing groups are encouraged to donate the use of their digital titles.

Reason 3: how investing in IT helps learning more about the user

In our third example, the challenges facing a non-profit organization like Worldreader overlap with the practical guidance of IT professional for the traditional publishing industry. For example, Matt Turner, CTO of MarkLogic (USA), whose motto is “Putting Content and Context into Action”. Matt will discuss options that facilitate personalized solutions for individual users and target groups.

Or Steve Odart, founder of IXXUS (UK), who demonstrates how these adjustments have to be reflected in the organization of the entire company.

What to think next: the solutions of today as the challenges of tomorrow

And, last but not least, a recapitulatory and forward-looking discussion chaired by the proven navigator Brian O’Leary of Magellan Media Partners (USA), under the title “What to think next?”. All the theories and findings of the previous two days will be probed to see whether they are sound or where new questions arise.

Tailored to your needs: from presentations to discussions and hands-on workshops

The conference agenda is structured such that the main themes are introduced in keynotes and presentations before we delve deeper during podium discussions. The practical aspects of implementing the ideas presented are then covered in the numerous workshops. This ensures that big ideas don’t just evaporate right away and can instead be refined for application to the specific business environment in a group discussion.
Check out the agenda in detail, and register online!

Publishers’ Forum 2015: Driving the successful transformation of publishing through the right strategic decisions

Proudly announcing more and more details about Publishers’ Forum on April 27 & 28, 2015 in Berlin.

These topics and speakers have been announced earlier today:

At the end of April 2015, the Publishers’ Forum will illuminate two current, strategic challenges in publishing enterprises:

• Which approaches to financing and which investment tools provide optimal support for innovation strategies in publishing?
• Which specific challenges are making IT decisions play a more and more central role in all strategic processes?

Well-known speakers from leading German and international publishing companies will share insights into their decision-making practices:
The book business is growing in complexity. More and more often, publishers are delivering their content in different media and formats via an increasing array of channels – both via booksellers and direct to the consumer. In the course of this development, Edel transformed itself from a music distributor to a publically traded media company. Timo Steinberg, Edel CFO and COO, will illuminate the specific challenges that accompanied this transformation and the prospects that it opened up for the medium-sized company.

Clearly, there is a varied portfolio of investment strategies available to decision-makers, each applicable to a different undertaking: whether the plan involves organic growth on the basis of the existing company structure, securing new business segments, or acquisitions or strategic partnerships, successful business development demands carefully consideration of the options and models.

On the CEO Day of the Publishers’ Forum, speakers with a broad range of backgrounds and experience in financing strategies will offer practical orientation with analysis of the market conditions and specific case studies. Aljoscha Walser will analyze various instruments and their fields of application.

The theme “Money and Strategy” continues on Tuesday with a look at prospects in newly emerging business segments as well as in fundamental waves of innovation which are looming on the horizon. David Worlock of the UK and US-based consulting company, Outsell, highlights how the “Internet of Things” is rapidly gaining relevance for the media industry.

Afterwards, we turn to innovations and expanded business models which are already successful today. Rüdiger Schmidt will use the example of new production technologies to demonstrate how their reach can extend as far as the conception of books, through the customization of titles for title audiences for example, and how they can generate completely new product ideas. Marcello Vena reports how he equips the entire value chain to handle digital strategies for book and media groups. Revenues from rights and licenses are often neglected and underestimated areas of growth for publishers – so argues Michael Healey from the international perspective of the US-based Copyright Clearance Center. Finally, Nathan Hull uses the example of the Danish flat-rate provider Mofibo to demonstrate how much more innovation is necessary in subscription models than just the conversion of one-off book sales to recurrent revenues.

All these strategies and innovations have a central factor in common: digital technologies are the fulcrum and lever. IT decisions take center stage in almost every strategy.

Don’t miss to be a part of the exciting conversations at Publishers’ Forum (early bird rates available until February 2, 2015).

Publishers’ Forum to announce first list of speakers for 2015.

A first announcement of speakers to the Publishers’ Forum on April 27 & 28, 2015 introduces a mix of senior international and German publishing executives, a literary agent, and an award winning author, as well as expert voices for discussing new audiences to the book business.

Featured names include Jacob Dalborg, CEO of Bonnier Books, Lance Fensterman, Senior executive VP of ReedPOP and head of New York Comic Con, Nathan Hull, formerly Penguin, and now with Danish Mofibo, Michael Bhaskar of Profile Books, UK,  Wolfgang Ferchl, publisher at Knaus (Random House Germany), literary agent Karin  Graf (Graf & Graf), Jo Lendle, publisher at Hanser, and author and winner of the Ingeborg Bachmann Preis, Kathrin Passig.

Find out more at www.publishers-forum.com