The London Book Fair (LBF) has announced Andrew Franklin, founder and publisher of Profile Books, as the recipient of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for 2026.
Launched on April Fool’s Day in 1996, Profile Books’ list of bestsellers includes Alan Bennett, Mary Beard, Francis Fukuyama, Simon Garfield’s Just My Type and Lynne Truss’s Eats, Shoots and Leaves, which sold more than three million copies worldwide. In 2007 Profile Books acquired Serpent’s Tail, whose successes include We Need to Talk about Kevin (over 900,000 copies sold) and in 2014 We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves (800,000 copies sold).
Before Profile, Andrew was a director of Penguin Books and ran Hamish Hamilton. He began his book-trade career as an assistant bookseller at Hatchards, he then worked his way up the ladder through a variety of jobs at Faber & Faber, Methuen and Sidgwick and Jackson. He is a trustee of Index on Censorship and was a trustee of the Edinburgh International Book Festival for nine years and the founding Chairman of JW3, the Jewish Community Centre for London.
Andrew Franklin said he is honored to be given this award. “Some of my greatest publishing heroes are past winners and I really don’t think I belong in their company. It is a particular pleasure to be given this award by The London Book Fair, because I strongly believe that the book trade thrives on sociability. We need to meet, make friends, develop contacts and exchange gossip. Writing and reading are the most rewarding solitary activity known to humankind. But publishing and selling books are social activities. It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a book fair to make a book.”
Emma Lowe, director of The London Book Fair, said, “We are absolutely delighted to recognize Andrew’s brilliant career with this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. A standout independent publisher of his generation, it’s not an exaggeration to say that Andrew has been an inspiration for thousands of people in the industry. The book world is in awe of what Andrew has built with Profile over nearly thirty years – from the many incredible books he’s published and authors’ careers he’s fostered, to the care and passion he put into his company. We are looking forward to celebrating Andrew’s hugely well-deserved honor at The London Book Fair next month.”
Amanda Ridout, founder and CEO of Boldwood Books, said, “Since founding Profile, Andrew has been the very epitome of the independent publisher – fearless, frank, feisty and totally committed to his authors and his company. He has also been a great champion of other independent publishers large and small and has encouraged those starting such enterprises at whatever stage in life. He was kind enough to invest in Boldwood from the beginning and has constantly given encouragement and wise counsel when asked.
He is a valued mentor and inspiration to all in the sector combining commercial acumen with editorial instinct. Andrew also understands how the very best publishing works – through our great network of people – both nationwide and internationally. And being a global publisher is one of his very best attributes with partnerships across the world and friends in every market. So a hugely successful independent publisher for 30 years: a maverick, an inspiration and a worthy recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Peter Straus, managing director of RCW Literary Agency, said he first met Andrew when he was a senior editor at Hamish Hamilton in 1988. “I remember later being phoned by a colleague, Ravi Mirchandani, who forced me to have lunch with Andrew. I thought how incredibly grand! Who does this guy think he is. In fact, Andrew was secretly taking over Hamish Hamilton and I did not know so still I had no idea why I was having to have lunch with him. But he was refreshingly direct and funny and I immediately liked him. I have to say, Andrew and all his colleagues at Profile and Serpent’s Tail have been exemplary partners and we have had several hugely enjoyable decades with them, culminating with Laszlo Krasznahorkai’s wonderful Nobel win.”
Francis Fukuyama, Author, said, “I met Andrew for the first time in Washington, DC sometime in 1990, when he was at Hamish Hamilton and about to publish The End of History and the Last Man. I was really dazzled by him; he was quick and knowledgeable and seemed much more sophisticated than me, a first time author. Our partnership continued after Andrew’s leaving Hamish Hamilton, founded Profile Books, and went on to be one of the most successful startup publishers in a time when book publishing in general was under huge stress. I’m proud to say that Andrew is the only publisher worldwide who has published all ten of my books, and is about to do this an eleventh time next year. He has personally edited and commented on each one of these volumes, and has been brilliant (a word I’ve learned to use listening to Brits) in promoting them.
Andrew’s achievement in building Profile and making it such a success speaks to his incredible editorial ability, as well as business acumen. This has obviously not been an easy time for publishers anywhere, particularly small ones intent on putting out serious books. It has also been a challenge avoiding being swallowed up by any of the giant oligopolies that today dominate the economy, while surviving the monumental technological change that has transformed media everywhere.”
The Lifetime Achievement Award committee, composed of the independent LBF Advisory Board, selected Andrew Franklin from a shortlist of leading international figures in the book industry. The Award recognizes an individual who has made a truly significant mark in the sphere of the global book world. It is open to publishers, agents, editors, scouts, booksellers and anyone else involved in the international book industry from any country in the world.
