PFD celebrates its 100th birthday in the church where Penguin was founded

Peters Fraser & Dunlop (PFD) literary agents celebrated its centenary in London last night with a party in One Marylebone. 

Caroline Michel, chief executive officer of PFD, said: “100 years on at PFD, our loyalty remains first and last with our authors, despite having been told a thousand times that we’re living through the death of the book.” 

“The work of our authors and the publishing industry has never been more vital, relevant and lasting in all its new forms and delivery platforms.” 

Speaking on the day of the American election result, Michel added: “In these tumultuous times, the power of words and storytelling to make a difference in the world—to change the world—has never been more needed. Words build bridges; the importance of freedom of speech; the continuing conversations across this troubled world.” 

“Books, ideas and storytelling are what makes us human. That’s why we get up in the morning at PFD, to work with our writers to get their work out across the world.”

The venue was packed with partygoers, including recognisable faces such as the actors Harriet Walter and Tom Conti and politicians Jo Johnson and Jacob Rees Mogg.  

Michel remarked that the former church where the party was being held, designed by Sir John Soane, was the location where, in the mid-1930s, the publisher Penguin was founded. “Penguin started a business in the crypt here. While this was still a working church, it was their office and their warehouse and there was a fairground slide delivering books from the printers into the crypt.” 

Following this nugget of literary history, Michel moved onto what she expects of the business over the next century. “Maybe in 100 years’ time, PFD might include robots and software in our list of clients. While we preserve the best of the past and work tirelessly to achieve the best for our authors now, we also have a fascinated eye on the evolving and innovating future.”