October 28, 2025 In book markets, book statistics, Digital, english, global 50 ranking, global ranking, Global50 Ranking, Pub Statistics, publishing, Publishing Beyond Publishers

White paper Global 50 Publishing 2025

Powered by Zebralution

 

The Global 50 White Paper offers a data-rich, in-depth examination of the global book industry and its strategic trends and challenges for 2025.

The 50-page publication provides these elements:

  • A list of30+ globally leading publishing companies with revenue from publishing and wholesale distribution of more than 500 million euros, covering consumer books as well as scientific and educational publishing;
  • An analysis of the underlying forces shaping these companies;
  • The transcript of a CEO Talk with Núria Cabutí (Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial), and Chantal Restivo-Alessi (HarperCollins);
  • An interview with Ralf Biesemeier (Zebralution); and
  • FIRST: A commented list of around 20 globally leading non-traditional publishing operations and related platforms around the world that market observers should keep an eye on.

The White Paper 2025, which was powered by Zebralution , conceived as so often in my ongoing conversations with Carlo Carrenho, and produced by our partners at Digital Publishing Report can be downloaded free of charge here.

The full Global 50 Publishing Ranking 2024, which includes, in addition, detailed company profiles of 50 leading publishing groups, based on financial data for 2024, can be purchased here. 

 

Portraits of Nuria Cabuti and Chantal Restivo-Alessi
September 3, 2025 In book markets, book statistics, Digital, english, Europe, global 50 ranking, global ranking, Global50 Ranking, publishing, US

Global 50 CEO Talk 2025

Two Unlikely Publishing Leaders Spotlighted at the Frankfurt Book Fair

A discussion on strategy in book publishing – Powered by Zebralution!

 

How Núria Cabutí, CEO at Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, and Chantal Restivo-Alessi, CEO International at HarperCollins Publishers, excel globally in their respective unconventional book markets.

The Gobal 50 CEO Talk 2025, held in partnership with the Frankfurt Book Fair, will take place on Wednesday, October 15, from 14:00 to 15:00 at the International Stage (Hall 5/6, level Via).

The session will explore the outstanding strategic visions that drive two of the largest book corporations, HarperCollins Publishers and Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, as they successfully perform in markets that require both a bold mix of digital innovation and solid handling of highly segmented audiences.

HarperCollins identified the enormous potential for international expansion in 2014 with its acquisition of Harlequin, expanding its direct publishing operations to 15 foreign language markets. It has since grown international trade publishing by more than 750%.

Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial demonstrated how to reach out consistently to Hispanic audiences beyond the Spanish peninsula, from Argentina all the way north to the United States, and yet with highly specific local and regional tastes and author preferences.

Both companies succeeded in their ambitions only by implementing a mix of distributed market approaches, strong centralized strategic management, and an innovative mindset open to using digital workflows and delivery solutions to meet their complex goals.

We are thrilled to announce that this event is powered by Zebralution!

About the Global 50 CEO Talk:

The Global 50 CEO Talk is prepared in conjunction with the Global 50 Publishing Ranking, which has mapped the 50 largest publishing corporations each year since 2007.

For details, see www.wischenbart.com/en/markets-reports .

The event is co-organized by Ruediger Wischenbart Content and Consulting (www.wischenbart.com) and Carlo Carrenho Publishing Consulting (www.carrenho.co ), together with Digital Publishing Report (www.digital-publishing-report.de).

About Núria Cabutí

Núria Cabutí is a native of Barcelona and graduated in Economic Sciences from the UAB. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Studies from Oxford Brookes University and an MBA from IESE. She got her start in the publishing sector in 1992, and since then, she has developed her professional career within the publishing group. In 1998 she was named Director of Marketing at the Plaza & Janés imprint. Following the merger that created Random House Mondadori in 2001, she was named Director of Marketing and Communications. In 2003, she was appointed Editorial Director of the Children’s and Young Readers Division and later took on the direction of Debolsillo as well. Since 2010, she was the CEO of Random House Mondadori. She was appointed CEO of Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial in 2013, and she is a member of the Penguin Random House International Board. Since 2021, she is also a member of the Supervisory Board of Bertelsmann. She is part of the Board of Cercle d’Economia and the Advisory Board of José Ortega y Gasset -Gregorio Marañon Foundation.

Contact at Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial:
Carlota del Amo (carlota.delamo@penguinrandomhouse.com)

About Chantal Restivo-Alessi:

Chantal Restivo-Alessi is Chief Digital Officer and CEO, International Foreign Language, for HarperCollins Publishers, leading the company’s global digital strategy and foreign language publishing program. She works with each division around the world to manage commercial relationships with new and existing digital partners, grow digital revenues, and oversee the company’s developing foreign language publishing program.

Contact at Harper Collins International:
Erin Crum (Erin.Crum@harpercollins.com )

Photo credits: (c) by Penguin Random House and Harper Collins respectively. 

CEO Talk 2024 Frankfurt Book Fair with Richard Sarnoff, KKR Private Equity, Jonathan Karp, Simon and Schuster, and Ruediger Wischenbart, moderator.
October 30, 2024 In Digital, global 50 ranking, global ranking, Global50 Ranking, publishing

CEO Talk video is out

Richard Sarnoff of KKR Private Equity and Jonathan Karp of Simon and Schuster discussing strategic perspectives for the iconic New York publisher

We had a full house on the International Stage at the Frankfurt Book Fair as the two top executives shared thoughts and strategies that went far beyond the future of one of the world’s leading publishing houses.

Sarnoff emphasised how important it is for the publisher to receive major financial investment following the private investors’ takeover, in order to exploit not only new bestsellers but also a backlist stretching back a century.

And yet, Karp added, it will still be an operation that carefully develops one author and one title at a time, not just for the American audience, but for readers around the world.

So expect new investments in authors and titles, new acquisitions of other international book companies and the exploration of publishing models that go far beyond traditional approaches.

Credits:

Video by Digital Publishing Report

Photo by Carlo Carrenho

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