Black & White co-founder Campbell Brown leaves imprint following Bonnier Books UK restructure

Campbell Brown, executive publisher at Black & White Publishing in Edinburgh, will leave the company this month, 25 years after he founded the imprint, which is now part of Bonnier Books UK.  

It follows last week’s restructure announcement with Black & White, Heligo, Nine Eight and John Blake no longer actively commissioning and Sam Humphreys, Pete Selby and Toby Buchan also leaving the business. 

Brown co-founded Black & White Publishing in 1999 with Ali McBride, who is now publishing director of the imprint. The business was acquired by Bonnier Books UK in 2021.  Black & White and Zaffre Publishing Groups were merged into one adult trade division in spring under the leadership of m.d. Sarah Benton.   

Under Brown’s leadership, the business has published bestselling authors including Donna Ashworth, Andrew Cotter, Estelle Maskame, Alex Howard and Philip Paris among others, as well as publishing J K Rowling, Julia Donaldson and Roald Dahl in Scots on the Itchy Coo list.  

Brown said: "After 25 rewarding and eventful years, I’m now delighted to be able to hand the baton on to Ali McBride and our brilliant teams in Edinburgh and London. I’d like to thank all our wonderful authors who work so hard and who remain in very capable hands as the business continues to move forward. I wish them every success as I look forward to new ventures and travels in the years ahead." 

Perminder Mann, c.e.o. of Bonnier Books UK, said: "We were thrilled to welcome Black & White Publishing into the fold having long admired their publishing ethos. Campbell and Ali have led the company brilliantly since its inception and we are hugely grateful for everything he has contributed. We would like to wish him every success in the future."   

Campbell Brown can be contacted at ccbrown1414@gmail.com.