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Seager and Maidment promoted at Madeleine Milburn
Chloe Seager has been promoted to director of Children’s and YA at the Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency (MMA). Moreover, Olivia Maidment has been moved up to the newly created position of head of books, working closely with the directors to implement strategy.
Seager has been at MMA since April 2019, regularly negotiating six- or seven-figure deals for her clients in the UK and the US. Her authors include Katie Kirby, Anna Fargher, Jo Harwood and Kathryn Foxfield. She also represents authors including Maisie Chan, winner of the Jhalak Prize and Branford Boase and Danielle Jawando, winner of the YA Book Prize, among others.
Since Seager’s arrival at the agency, her authors have also bagged five Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month slots, one Indie Children’s Book of the Month Slot and one Barnes & Noble Book of the Month slot.
Madeleine Milburn said: "Since Chloe joined us in 2019, she has built up the Children’s & YA department to be the best in the business. Her stellar list of clients, and her peerless ability to seek out the Next Big Thing, made the decision to make her a director the easiest in the world. We’re so excited to have her bring her energy, expertise and insight to the board, and for her to take the Children’s & YA department to the next level."
Meanwhile, Maidment has interned at the MMA and worked for the Blair Partnership and United Agents. She rejoined MMA as associate agent in November 2020 and was promoted to agent in September 2021, specialising in literary and upmarket fiction, as well as select literary non-fiction.
Her clients include upcoming debut novelists Jodie Matthews, Dani Heywood-Lonsdale and Nick Newman. Oisín Mckenna, whose novel Evenings and Weekends (Fourth Estate) was sold in a major, multiway auction in the UK and North America, also works with Maidment.
Milburn added: "Oliva is hugely respected by clients and colleagues equally. Not only does she have an eagle’s eye for talent and a record of landing her authors the best possible deal, but she also possesses an instinct for the bigger agency picture, so important now we are 20-strong. The head of books role embraces her agenting and business skills beautifully – we’re very excited for the future!"
Seager said: "I’m overjoyed to take up the role as director at one of the most exciting agencies in the world and begin strategising about our ambitions for the Children’s & YA Department. The last four years at MMA have been an incredible ride and I’m excited to see what the future has in store."
Maidment commented: "MMA has always been a big part of my career, from giving me my first internship after university, mentoring me as I began to agent, to celebrating every success with me along the way. I’m very proud to take up the role of head of books and with it the opportunity to support the team as they continue to achieve brilliant things here at the agency, alongside championing my wonderful authors and expanding my own list."
