Charkin joins UCL as 'honorary' staff member

Bloomsbury’s executive director Richard Charkin is set to take up an honorary role at UCL university this month.

Charkin will be an  “honorary member of staff” on UCL’s Publishing MA course after retiring from his post at president of the International Publishers Association, which he has served in since 2015.

Charkin started his career on the science list at George Harrap and Company, before moving to Pergamon Press, the Oxford University Press. He joined Bloomsbury in 2007 as executive director although recently announced he would drop down to two days a week at the publishing house from February 2017.

Charkin said: “‘I have enjoyed every minute (nearly) of my varied publishing career and hope to continue for many years to come. In 44 years even the stupidest have learned something and I’d like to share my experience with the next generation of publishers who are facing a fascinating future in a thriving industry.”

A spokesperson for UC said: “We are excited to announce that Richard Charkin is joining the department as an honorary fellow following his retirement as president of the International Publishers Association. Richard has had an illustrious career in publishing…(and) describes himself as a publisher who strives to maintain a sense of fun and wonder in his work and he believes in the principle of ‘letting managers manage’. We look forward to welcoming him to UCL.”