Walker appointed as MUP trade publisher in newly created role

Kim Walker, a former owner and director of Zed Books, has been appointed by Manchester University Press to the newly created role of trade publisher.

Based between London and Brighton, in her new role Walker will lead the strategic direction for trade non-fiction, taking the press into new areas of publishing and targeting consumers underserved by university presses.

Walker, a 2019 Bookseller Rising Star, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Manchester University Press in this newly created role to drive their trade publishing. With an international reputation in scholarly publishing, MUP’s progressive spirit has driven decades of bold publishing bringing transformative ideas and influential thinkers to a global audience.

“My aim is to build on that reputation of academic excellence while publishing a variety of fresh, distinctive and diverse voices to grow new audiences and reach a wider community of readers not typically catered for by university presses. It’s an exciting time for university presses to publish agenda-setting content that has an impact far beyond academia — I’m excited to be part of this new chapter at MUP."

In another move, Chris Hart, former head of marketing, has been promoted to sales and marketing director. The publisher says he has been "one of the driving forces" behind MUP’s trade initiative.