Quarto lands Arabic joint venture

Quarto has entered into a joint venture with Sharjah-based publisher Kalimat Group.

The companies will collaborate on a new Arabic imprint, Kalimat Quarto (KQ), initially focusing on non-fiction and with hopes to expand into children’s books. Quarto’s publishing businesses will supply titles to KQ, which will publish and distribute them throughout the Middle East and North Africa from early 2017.

A spokesperson for the new imprint said the two publishers saw great scope for developing the market for illustrated non-fiction in the Arabic-speaking world— the category is currently dominated by English-language imports. The deal was announced after a party at the London Book Fair to celebrate Quarto’s 40th year (c.e.o. Marcus Leaver is pictured with publisher Jacqui Small).

Quarto also unveiled Quarto Innovation, a business development arm led by former Pavilion and Carlton employee Frank Chambers, which will seek new ways to sell Quarto’s content, brands and expertise beyond its coedition and publishing businesses.