Basic Books publishing director Sarah Caro to step down as Joe Zigmond takes over non-fiction imprint

Sarah Caro, the publishing director at Basic Books UK, will step down from her role at the end of February. Joe Zigmond, currently associate publisher, will step up to the role of publishing director, leading the non-fiction imprint from March.

"I am immensely proud of all we have achieved at Basic Books UK and I am grateful to everyone at John Murray Press and Basic US who has helped us realise our ambition to create a list that is both authoritative and accessible," Caro said. "Starting a new imprint in a competitive market is challenging at the best of times, but that we managed to do this during the Covid-19 lockdown is testament to our shared energy and enthusiasm."

Basic Books UK was formed in 2020 as an imprint of John Murray Press, with Caro joining that year from her previous role as global editorial director at Princeton University Press. The imprint’s goal is to help "shape public debate" by publishing books across history, economics, science and sociology, as well as psychology, politics and current affairs. It collaborates with its US counterpart, Basic Books US, to publish new works from both sides of the Atlantic.

"It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with my colleagues at Hachette and our wonderful authors – without whom none of this would have been possible – their agents, the booksellers and reviewers who have all formed the larger Basic Books community," Caro added. "’With the list firmly established in the UK market, now is the right time for me to take a breath, reset and then explore other opportunities. I look forward to walks, drinks and conversations with friends and colleagues old and new and can be contacted on sarah.e.caro@gmail.com."

Nick Davies, m.d. at John Murray Press, added: "We’re grateful to Sarah for the energy and leadership that she brought to Basic Books over the last four years. As the roll-call of prize nominations illustrates, the imprint has quickly established itself as home to some of the best non-fiction publishing in the UK, from history to science, from economics to business.

"I’m delighted that Joe Zigmond will be stepping up to publishing director from 1st March. Joe has built a reputation as one of the smartest in editors in town with his twin non-fiction lists across Basic Books and John Murray. Joe will continue to acquire for John Murray – where his authors include Jonathan Freedland, Stephanie Kelton and Kojo Koram – while taking on leadership of Basic Books UK and building out his enviable list of leading historians, economists and cultural and political commentators."