Fenella Bates appointed as Puffin non-fiction publisher

Fenella Bates has been appointed publisher at Puffin non-fiction, a newly created role. Bates will be leading the team’s non-fiction acquisition and strategy across all age groups and reporting to Ruth Knowles. 

Bates will move from her current position as non-fiction publisher at Penguin Michael Joseph to Puffin on 1st May 2024.

During her time at Michael Joseph, Bates worked with authors across many different areas of non-fiction including Mrs Hinch, Raynor Winn, Amelia Freer, Little Mix and Joe Sugg.

Bates said: “I’ve long admired Puffin’s brilliantly creative and ambitious non-fiction publishing, and I am incredibly excited and honoured to be joining them to help continue to grow the Puffin Non-Fiction list and build a strong strategy for its future. This is a dream job for me, and I want to help underline Puffin’s position as the number one destination for high-profile authors and experts interested in storytelling for younger readers, and look forward to acquiring and publishing lots of bestsellers with my new colleagues.

“But I will also miss the brilliant team at Penguin Michael Joseph and my wonderful authors a great deal. I will always be grateful for the guidance and generous support of Louise Moore and Daniel Bunyard and will be cheering PMJ on!”

Amanda Punter, publishing director, Puffin Fiction, said: “We have admired Fenella’s skill as a strategic and ambitious non-fiction acquirer for some time, and are delighted she will now be joining us and bringing her acquiring firepower and smart, non-fiction, brand-building thinking to the children’s market. We have bold ambitions in this area of the market to inform, entertain and inspire young readers. As she builds on the work the team has begun, we are excited to publish even more best-in-class non-fiction, discovering brilliant new voices as well as bringing experts in their field to young readers, and inspiring them to have interesting conversations about big ideas.”