Bowler to join Granta Books

Jonathan Cape’s deputy publishing director Alex Bowler is leaving the publisher to join independent Granta Books as publishing director.

Bowler has worked at Jonathan Cape for 10 years, publishing books from authors including Kevin Barry, Evie Wyld, Julian Barnes and Tom McCarthy. He stepped up to deputy publishing director last July, alongside the appointment of Michal Shavit as the imprint's next publishing director.

Bowler will join Granta in July.

Sigrid Rausing, publisher of Granta, said: “I am thrilled that Alex Bowler will be joining Granta - his tastes are closely aligned with Granta’s, and I am also excited about his publishing nous, which combines a passion for his books and authors, excellent editing skills, and a sound commercial sense. We will benefit enormously from his long experience at Cape, and I look forward to Granta’s next phase.”

Bowler said he “loved the range and pedigree of the Granta list" along with its "independence and open-mindedness".

“To have the chance to work alongside them and help shape the future is irresistible to me, and I can't wait to get cracking,” he added.

Laura Barber has also been appointed to the role of publishing director of Portobello Books after joining the company in 2005 from Penguin, where she was editorial director of Penguin Classics. 

Rausing said Barber has played a key role in establishing the imprint as the home for “urgent, issue-led non-fiction and international literary fiction”.

She has published prize-winning novels in translation by Hiromi Kawakami, Jenny Erpenbeck, and Hubert Mingarelli.

Rausing said: “I have been lucky enough to have worked with Laura for ten years now, and I know her meticulous attention to detail, her exceptional editing skills, her range, and her passionate commitment to her authors, to her colleagues, and to the Granta and Portobello lists. Portobello Books will thrive under her guidance.”