Wilmers steps down as London Review of Books editor

Mary-Kay Wilmers is stepping down as editor of the London Review of Books after nearly three decades in the post.

Deputy editor Jean McNicol and senior editor Alice Spawls have been appointed to succeed her as editors of the magazine, which in 2019 celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Wilmers, who will continue to be closely involved with the paper as consulting editor, was one of the LRB’s founders in 1979, became co-editor in 1988, and has been sole editor since 1992.

She said: "The succession has been long in the planning and I’m very proud to be handing over the editorship to two such talented women. I’ll be continuing to do my bit as consulting editor."

McNicol joined the LRB in 1987 as an editorial assistant, while Spawls started as an editorial intern in 2011.

They said: “The LRB is the best paper in the world, thanks to Mary-Kay, and we intend to keep it that way. We’ve never wanted to work anywhere else, and indeed neither of us ever has.”

The appointments come after a successful period for the LRB, which last year gained more new subscribers than in any other year in its history. It now has more than 88,000 subscribers, which it says is the largest circulation of any magazine of its kind in Europe.