Saqi Books hires associate publisher and announces new office

Middle East specialist publisher Saqi Books—which closed its west London bookshop in December—has hired Simon Liebesny as its new associate publisher. 

Liebesny joined the company on 16th January and will work with Saqi’s managing director and publisher, Lynn Gaspard, to direct its publishing programme across all imprints. 

Liebesny joins Saqi from the radical publisher Pluto Press, where he worked for 17 years. More recently, he worked as an editor and contributor at WritersMosaic, a Royal Literary Fund initiative which supports emerging writers. 

Gaspard said: “I am thrilled to welcome Simon to our team. Simon’s strong relationships in the industry and his extensive experience in sales and distribution, coupled with his sensitive and meticulous approach, will be a huge asset to Saqi. Simon’s vision is perfectly aligned with Saqi’s and 2023 being our 40th anniversary, I can’t imagine anyone better to help guide us through the next phase of success.”

Liebesny said: “I am delighted to be joining Saqi. This unique and dynamic publisher has blazed a trail since 1983, publishing seminal works not only on the culture of the Middle East, but also groundbreaking new books in fiction, poetry, politics and history. I have long been an admirer of Saqi and its publishing.”

This year also sees Saqi relocate to Turnham Green in west London and will mark a departure from its Bayswater offices. 

Gaspard added: “With the closure of the bookshop that housed us, Al Saqi Books, in December, we found new premises perfectly tailored to our needs and aspirations. The company will be based in a serviced building in Turnham Green Terrace and will enjoy a larger space with room for growth. It’s a new year and a new phase for Saqi, and we’re looking forward to all of it.”