RCW's Claire Wilson steps up to AAA president

The Association of Authors’ Agents (AAA) vice-president Claire Wilson, of RCW Literary Agency, has stepped up to president. 

Wilson was formally appointed at an association meeting on Tuesday (30th January) and praised outgoing president Catherine Clarke of Felicity Bryan Associates for her “thoughtful, dedicated and highly effective leadership”. 

Hellie Ogden, of WME London, joins as vice-president, and Karolina Sutton, of CAA, joins as an ordinary member, after Madeleine Milburn, of the Madeleine Milburn Literary, Film and TV Agency, stepped down.  

John Baker of Bell Lomax Moreton will take over from Camille Burns of DKW Literary Agency as secretary. Other current members of the committee are: Becky Brown of Curtis Brown, Eli Keren of United Agents (treasurer) and Jenny Robson of ILA. 

Wilson said: “Working closely with Catherine has been incredibly rewarding and through her I have learned a huge amount about the AAA and its important work.  

“Under her guidance over the past two years the committee has worked together to run a full programme of networking, discussion and training events; helped introduce the Open Books campaign to hundreds of secondary schools in the UK; worked to develop a new cross-industry set of professional values; launched the Tree to Me campaign; and joined the Sustainability Industry Forum among other notable steps forward.” 

Wilson added: “Looking ahead, we have a fantastic team in place — full of expertise and energy — and I couldn’t be more pleased to be working alongside them as we navigate a rapidly changing industry landscape over the years ahead.”     

Clarke said: “It has been a pleasure to work alongside the AAA committee, to see the AAA’s membership continue to expand, to help steer industry campaigns, and to build knowledge and networks for agents, new and experienced alike.  

“I am really delighted to be leaving this great organisation in the hands of such committed and dynamic agents. Claire will be a brilliant president and will guide the association through the next two years with great skill. I look forward to seeing it flourish, from the stands.” 

Wilson began her career working in publishing sales and rights, and joined Rogers, Coleridge & White (now known as RCW) in 2007, becoming a director in 2015. She represents authors of both children’s and adult fiction, and won Agent of the Year at the British Book Awards in 2023.