Former Publishers Association president Robin Hyman dies

Robin Hyman, former chairman of Laurence King and former president of the Publishers Association (PA), died peacefully in his sleep yesterday (12th January). 

Commenting on his death, PA Council member Richard Charkin said Hyman was a "publisher through and through".

"He loved books. He loved gossip. He understood the importance of commerce as well as culture," Charkin said. "And he was always generous, not least with the time and effort he put into the Publishers Association. We shall miss him deeply.”

Hyman was born in 1931 and educated at the University of Birmingham. After graduating in 1955, Hyman secured his first a position in publishing at Evans Brothers, where he worked for 22 years, rising to the post of managing director in 1972. He left to become chairman at Bell & Hyman in 1977, until the company merged with Allen & Unwin to become Unwin Hyman in 1986. At Unwin Hyman, Hyman served as managing director until 1988, when he became the company’s chairman and chief executive.

While chairman at Bell & Hyman, in 1975, he began working with the Publishers' Association. Hyman served in several executive positions at the PA including as president from 1989 to1991. Hyman was the first chairman at Laurence King Publishing between 1991 and 2004.

Laurence King, m.d. of Laurence King Publishing said: "Robin Hyman devoted his whole life to publishing, and was very knowledgeable about it as a business. I was incredibly lucky have him as the first chairman of Laurence King Publishing. I owe him a great deal and will greatly miss him.” 

Hyman is survived by his wife Inge Neufeld, his two sons and a daughter.