Petty joins Blair Partnership from Macmillan Children's Books
The Blair Partnership has appointed Macmillan Children's Books (MCB) editorial director Rachel Petty as agent, heading up its children’s and YA list.
Petty joins the agency after 14 years at MCB, where she has been responsible for bestsellers including Waterstones YA Book of the Year Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, former Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell and Costa Prize-winner Frances Hardinge.
She will report to agency director and partner Rory Scarfe, overseeing the development and growth of a children’s list that includes bestselling and prize-winning authors such as J K Rowling, Kieran Larwood, Joel Arcanjo and Dawn Coulter-Cruttenden, among others.
Scarfe said: “Over the past three years, the agency has grown the diversity of its client list to include some of the bestselling and most critically acclaimed storytellers of the moment, across non-fiction and fiction, as well as developing brand, TV/film, speaking, and other thriving verticals, all of which have grown the business significantly. We now have an incredible opportunity to cement the agency’s position as the home of the greatest children’s and YA storytellers and I can think of no better person to lead that drive than Rachel.
“Rachel is one of the most respected and successful children’s publishers and has supreme taste, experience and an entrepreneurial spark that I know will bring first-class clients into the business. We are thrilled that she will be bringing her passion, insight and expertise to shape an industry-leading list at The Blair Partnership.’
Petty commented: “Only a very exciting opportunity could tempt me away from my wonderful authors and illustrators, and colleagues at Macmillan Children's Books and Pan Macmillan, and I am excited to grow the list at such a forward-thinking and energetic company as The Blair Partnership. They’re passionate about storytelling in all its forms and I’m delighted to be joining the team.’
Belinda Ioni Rasmussen, m.d. at Macmillan Children's Books, added: “We are sad to see Rachel leave; she has been a valued member of the fiction team and of MCB for many years and we have benefited from her great eye for talent and her focus on author care. At the same time, we recognise that Rachel will be an excellent agent and, though she will be sorely missed, we look forward to continuing to work with her in the future, just a little differently.”
