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Booksellers Association appoints Simon Armstrong as press and PR manager
The Booksellers Association (BA) has appointed Simon Armstrong as press and PR manager, a newly created role which was previously overseen by Midas PR. This marks the first time press and PR has been handled in-house for the BA.
Armstrong will take on press relations responsibility across the Booksellers Association Group, which includes National Book Tokens and Batch. However, he will focus mainly on consumer and corporate PR for the BA. He will work with the senior management team to create and maintain PR work across all activities, including corporate, policy-based, consumer and trade-facing.
Armstrong begins the role on Wednesday 20th November 2024, reporting to Emma Bradshaw, head of campaigns, and Laura McCormack, head of policy and public affairs. Crotty Communications will continue to take care of media outreach in Ireland and its committee of booksellers based in Ireland (Bookselling Ireland).
Armstrong has a decade of experience in publishing, having worked within the publicity teams of both children’s and adult divisions of Penguin Random House, HarperCollins and Walker Books.
He won a PPC Award for Misfit, the memoir of model and activist Charli Howard, and has worked on campaigns for Paul Whitehouse, Martin Kemp, Rachel Riley, John Green, Clare Balding, John Green, Anthony Horowitz, Patrick Ness, A L Kennedy, Ladbaby, Carrie Hope Fletcher and Zoe Sugg. He is also a past member of the publisher working groups for the Young Adult Literature Convention and World Book Day.
Bradshaw said: "We are delighted to welcome Simon to the Booksellers Association team. With the growing success of our Books Are My Bag campaigns and a slew of legislation on the horizon which will directly impact booksellers, the appointment couldn’t be timelier. We can’t wait to work with him to amplify our members’ voices in the media and Parliament."
Armstrong said: "In an era of constant and dizzying change in how books of all shapes and sizes are promoted, the integral role that bookshops play within this remains undeniable and undiminished. Therefore, whilst I’m sad to leave behind in-house publicity and the glittering team at Penguin Random House Childrens, I’m delighted and privileged to be joining The Booksellers Association and contributing to their vital and impressive role in helping bookshops continue to not survive but thrive as essential cornerstones of the industry."
