Penguin Business signs biography of the billionaire Barclay brothers

Penguin Business has acquired journalist Jane Martinson’s You May Never See Us Again, which it claims is the first in-depth biography of billionaire brothers Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay.

Tom Killingbeck, former editorial director, bought world English rights excluding North America from Georgina Capel at Georgina Capel Associates on exclusive submission. It is scheduled for publication on 19th October.

The book tells the story of how twin brothers born into poverty built one of the biggest media and business empires Britain has ever seen.

The publisher says: “Their empire, reportedly worth £7bn at its height, included some of the UK’s best-known brands from Littlewoods to the Ritz Hotel and the Daily Telegraph.

“They were major advocates for Brexit and well-connected within political spheres. Yet despite their fortune and influence, their fiercely guarded desire for privacy has meant that their story remained largely unknown – until a recent family dispute led to high court proceedings."

Martinson is a freelance journalist and Marjorie Deane professor of financial journalism at City, University of London. She is a regular columnist for the Guardian and has appeared on broadcast media including BBC News, ITV, Sky News and BBC Radio 4. Her coverage of the Barclay family has already received award recognition – she was shortlisted for the Wincott Financial Journalist of the Year and the British Press Award for business journalism in 2021 for her for her Tortoise media piece Barclay V Barclay.

O’Sullivan said: “Jane has spent over four years investigating this story and she has done such an incredible job in piecing together the story of two very enigmatic people. It’s a compelling narrative, full of insight and intrigue.”

Martinson said: “This has proved to be one of the most challenging, yet fascinating, stories I have ever attempted to uncover. It’s a story of money, power and intrigue but, behind it all, is the story of twin brothers who built a life and a fortune together but could not agree on how to pass it on.”