Welbeck Publishing Group Launch and Acquisition of Carlton Books 

Mark Smith and Marcus Leaver are pleased to announce the formation today of Welbeck Publishing Group (Welbeck) with the acquisition of Carlton Books (Carlton). 

Welbeck will build a new trade publishing business through the acquisition of established companies starting with Carlton and by incubating start-up businesses in scalable areas of the market. The focus will be on illustrated non-fiction and children’s books for the co-edition market as well as commercial fiction and non-fiction. 

Among Welbeck’s investors will be Chairman of Welbeck, Peter Read, former Chairman of Quarto, and its lead investor and non-executive Director, Tilly McAuliffe, co-founder and Director of Think Media Group, which includes Think Membership Publishing, Wanderlust Travel Media and Wanderlust Studio. 

The founder of Carlton, Jonathan Goodman, will stay on in the capacity as Publisher at Large. 

Mark Smith, co-founder and CEO of Quercus Books and founder and CEO of Bonnier Zaffre said: 

“Marcus and I have known each other for a long time and have a unified view on the type of modern publishing business we want to build, playing to our respective strengths to create a broad-based trade publishing business headquartered in the UK but with a global outlook.” 

Marcus Leaver, former President of Sterling Publishing and former CEO of The Quarto Group said: 

“I look forward to working with Mark to build a publishing business where we can focus solely on making and selling books. We have long-term funding that will enable us to build the Group patiently, working with our extensive network of partners, authors, illustrators and photographers around the world; Carlton is an excellent springboard for us, and we are pleased Jonathan is staying with the company in a new guise.” 

Jonathan Goodman, Founder of Carlton, said: 

“I have known both Mark and Marcus for many years. My partner, Michael Zilkha, and I are pleased to be selling our company to them and their investors. They will provide new dimensions to Carlton’s established business and I look forward to even greater successes in the future.” 

Contact Details: 

Mark Smith – Executive Director
Mark.Smith@welbeckpublishing.com
+44 (0)7769 681968

Marcus Leaver –  Executive Director Marcus.Leaver@welbeckpublishing.com
+44 (0)7775 648 419

Registered Address: 25 Walbrook, London EC4N 8AF
Company Number: 11452965

Website:
www.welbeckpublishing.com

 

 


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