Joel Simons to join Mudlark

Joel Simons will leave 535 at Bonnier Books UK to join HarperCollins imprint Mudlark at the end of this month. 

HarperNonFiction said Simons, currently senior editor at 535, will take on the role of editorial director at Mudlark and will report to publishing director Jack Fogg.

Simons set up the 535 list in 2017 and under his stewardship, it became home to the likes of Michael Fuller, Marie Le Conte and the recently acquired Art of Disruption by Green Party MEP Magid Magid. He also commissioned on to the Blink list, where he published the bestselling Gone Fishing by Paul Whitehouse and Bob Mortimer, which has sold 24,992 copies according to Nielsen, and the Comedy Wildlife series of humour books, which have sold over 60,000 copies. His replacement at Bonnier is yet to be announced. 

Simons said: "It’s been an amazing six years at Bonnier Books UK and I’m incredibly proud of being part of the team that started up Blink Publishing before going on to form 535. It’s been an unforgettable experience and I’ll miss all the great people and authors on both imprints. But now feels like the right time for a new challenge and I’m so excited to be joining the team at HarperNonFiction, and helping to grow the amazing Mudlark list. I can’t wait to get started!"

Fogg, who set up Mudlark in 2018 to publish high-quality and commercial narrative non-fiction, added: "It’s been a great thrill setting up Mudlark and enjoying some early successes and it felt right to be building upon those foundations by having a new commissioner join the list. I’ve greatly admired how Joel has gone about setting up the 535 list with flair and huge energy. He is creative, commercially shrewd and has great taste and will be a fantastic addition to Mudlark, broadening the scope of the list’s output. I can’t wait to start working with him."