Bengono Bessala and Jonathan Taylor join HarperNonFiction

HarperCollins has announced that Bengono Bessala and Jonathan Taylor are joining the HarperNonFiction editorial team in two newly created roles.

Bessala stepped into the role of senior commissioning editor at the beginning of April, the publisher said. She has worked at HarperCollins for more than seven years, across a variety of imprints, and joins the team from William Collins. In her new role, Bessala will build a list which “showcases the boldest and best voices in trend-led publishing, narrative memoir, pop culture, current affairs, entertainment, and lifestyle”. HarperCollins went on to say that she will “capitalise on trends and analytics, as well as seeking out authors from underrepresented communities”. Bessala’s previous acquisitions include We Were Dreamers (William Collins) by actor Simu Liu, and titles by former "Strictly Come Dancing" sensation Janette Manrara, content creators The Feel Good Club and financial expert Emmanuel Asuquo. 

Bessala will report to publishing director Katya Shipster, who said: “Having been a fan of Bengono’s from afar for a while, I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work with her more closely. She brings such energy and vision with her, and I cannot wait to see what ideas and new writing talent she brings to the table for HarperNonFiction, both in the lifestyle and the entertainment spaces.” 

Bessala added: "I’m so excited to be joining the HarperNonFiction team, having watched them acquire fantastic books over the years. They are real experts in what they do and have their ears to the ground where it matters. This is a real opportunity for me to take my commercial publishing to the next level, and I’m glad to be building a new list with Katya and the team." 

Also joining the team is Jonathan Taylor, who joins in June as editor at large, sport, from Headline. Jonathan’s career began at A&C Black in 1990 and has also included spells as editorial director at Virgin Books, managing director of Raceform/Highdown at the Mirror Group, and publishing director at HarperSport. He was head of non-fiction at Headline and, most recently, its consultant sports publisher. Over the course of his career he has published titles from David Beckham, Andy Murray, Lewis Hamilton, Ben Stokes, Mike Tyson, Usain Bolt and Jonny Wilkinson. 

Taylor said: “I’ve had the most wonderful 13 years at Headline, working with brilliant authors and terrific colleagues, but the opportunity to return to HarperCollins was just too good to turn down. Having worked there once before, I cannot wait to reconnect and contribute to its vibrant sports list.” 

Taylor will report to managing director and publisher Sarah Emsley, who said: “Having worked alongside Jonathan for 12 years, I know that he is both the best sports publisher in the industry, and a fantastic colleague, too. His previous years at HarperCollins were packed full of sporting bestsellers, and we are extremely pleased that he is bringing that JT magic back. I am delighted to be welcoming both Bengono and Jonathan to the team.”