Designer of the Year
If it’s true that we all judge a book by its cover, these eight designers are among the most influential people in publishing. They were behind many of the most striking jackets and marketing collateral of 2024, fusing visual flair with commercial nous. They include two designers from HarperCollins, two from Penguin Random House and two freelancers. All but one appear on the Nibbies shortlists for the first time—testament to the steady flow of new creative talent through publishing.
The Shortlist
Luke Bird
Freelance
Freelance designer Luke Bird is shortlisted for the fourth time. He’s also a serial contender at design awards for his work for numerous British publishers, which is characterised by singular visuals that distil the essence of novels. Standouts in 2024 included Rita Bullwinkel’s Booker-longlisted Headshot and Rebecca Ivory’s Free Therapy. Work on Tim Hayward’s Steak showed a flair for cookbooks too.
Ceara Elliot
Penguin Random House
Ceara Elliot is senior designer at Penguin Random House’s Cornerstone. Her sparse covers for Tony Blair’s On Leadership and Tom Hanks’ The Making of Another Major Motion Picture showed her less-is-more approach, and a vibrant blue on Jennie Godfrey’s The List of Suspicious Things teed up impactful marketing. Beyond the day job she leads cover design talks for the St Bride Foundation.
Ellie Game
HarperFiction
HarperFiction’s deputy art director made her name with the iconic yellow cover for Rebecca Kuang’s Yellowface, the 2024 Fiction Book of the Year. She’s a prolific designer with a knack for covers that appeal across different genres and markets—like Saara El-Arifi’s Faebound and Barbara Erskine’s The Story Spinner. Game also steered a rejacketing of seven Borough Press titles to mark the imprint’s tenth year.
Ryan Hammond
HarperCollins
Ryan Hammond, art director for HarperCollins’ Farshore and Electric Monkey lists, shows the power of cover design in the ultra-competitive YA market. His work has helped make Holly Jackson a mega-brand, and he uses foils, endpapers and ribbons to great effect in collectors’ editions. “He has an amazing commercial eye and sense of what will make a cover pop,” said one of his authors.
Beci Kelly
Transworld
Beci Kelly has risen through the Transworld ranks to deputy art director and is a superb collaborator with colleagues, authors and agents. Her 2024 work included striking typography on the cover and marketing for Jacqueline Wilson’s Think Again, plus new special editions for Bonnie Garmus’ Lessons in Chemistry. “Beci can capture the heart of my work in a single image,” said one grateful author.
David Mann
Bloomsbury
David Mann has spent 18 years as creative director at Bloomsbury Publishing and was at the top of his game in 2024. His Sunday Times bestseller covers ranged from the minimalist and singular design for Gillian Anderson’s Want to the intricate and foil-filled image on Sarah J Maas’ House of Flame and Shadow. “Your jackets are as part of my books as the words therein,” said one Bloomsbury author.
Kishan Rajani
Faber
Faber’s senior designer was a creative force behind one of the biggest books of the year, Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo. His three-tone cover and merch was hard to miss, and work for Andrew O’Hagan and Akwaeke Emezi also caught the eye. He’s been a mentor to fellow creatives too, and helped start the Faber Design Portfolio Sessions to attract more people from under-represented backgrounds into publishing.
Emma Rogers
Freelance
Emma Rogers went freelance after time at Orion and Penguin Random House. She stands out for colourful designs and attractive typography that fuse style and commercial appeal. Amy Beashel, Phoebe McIntosh, TM Logan and Amanda Prowse were all grateful for her creativity in 2024. “Having her in my corner is like having a secret weapon—her designs make all the difference,” said one author.
