Perminder Mann
{{Short description|British book publisher}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
Perminder Mann is a British publishing executive and businesswoman, who since 2017 has been CEO of Bonnier Books UK, the seventh largest publisher in the UK with sales of more than £80m. She is recognised as one of the UK's most powerful leaders{{Cite web|title=Colour of Power Index · The Colour of Power|url=https://thecolourofpower.com/|access-date=2020-09-10|website=The Colour of Power|language=en-GB}} and as a publishing innovator – one of the first to publish a social media influencer and for her work introducing inclusive workplace policy.
Mann is President of the Publishers Association,https://www.publishers.org.uk/perminder-mann-president-publishers-association/ Chair of the board of trustees of award-winning mentoring charity and support network, Arts Emergency, a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Honorary Visiting Professor at City University, and a member of the advisory board for Kingston University's publishing programme. She also appears annually in the UK's top 150 most influential people in book publishing, a list compiled by the industry's trade magazine, The Bookseller.
Mann was the first CEO of a major publisher to announce the move to a full flexible working policy in 2020.{{Cite web|title=Bonnier Books UK staff will move to permanent flexible working|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/bonnier-books-uk-staff-move-flexible-working-1218308|access-date=2020-09-10|website=www.thebookseller.com}} She is an advocate for inclusivity and collaboration in the workplace.
Early life
Perminder Mann was born to immigrant parents and grew up in the West London Indian community. At the age of 13, she appeared in the BBC documentary Life of an Asian Girl.{{Cite web|url=https://www.speakersforschools.org/speakers/perminder-mann/|title=Perminder Mann|website=Speakers for Schools|accessdate=25 November 2024}}
Career
After studying at De Montfort University, Mann began her career in publishing working for trade publishers Macmillan and Transworld, before moving on to work with two international independent publishers, Hinkler and Phidal Publishing.https://www.linkedin.com/in/perminder-mann-60aa669/ {{Self-published source|date=June 2022}} She then spent time in the toy industry, before returning to publishing to work for Bonnier Publishing, which rebranded as Bonnier Books UK in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/bonnier-publishing-rebrands-zetterlund-steps-back-mann-steps-838886|title=Perminder Mann to take reins at rebranded Bonnier |magazine=The Bookseller|date=25 July 2018|first=Lisa|last=Campbell}}
During her time at Bonnier Books UK, she co-founded adult non-fiction imprint Blink Publishing.{{cite web |last1=Cowdrey |first1=Katherine |title=Perminder Mann among 'most powerful' BAME leaders |url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/perminder-mann-among-most-powerful-bame-leaders-644886 |website=The Bookseller |publisher=Bookseller Media Ltd |accessdate=15 June 2018 |language=en}} In 2014, the imprint became the first UK publisher to collaborate with a vlogger when it signed Alfie Deyes.{{cite news |last1=Grant |first1=Katie |title=Page 3 Profile: Alfie Deyes, video blogger |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/i/page-3-profile-alfie-deyes-video-blogger-9742252.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/i/page-3-profile-alfie-deyes-video-blogger-9742252.html |archive-date=2022-05-25 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |accessdate=15 June 2018 |work=The Independent |date=19 September 2014}} Under Mann, Blink published The Pointless Book, which was a 2014 bestseller.{{cite web|first=Sian |last=Cain |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2014/dec/24/bestselling-books-of-2014-did-booksellers-get-predictions-right |title=Bestselling books of 2014: did the booksellers get it right? | Books |work=The Guardian |date= 24 December 2014|accessdate=2015-06-18}}
In 2017, Mann was promoted to CEO of Bonnier Books UK, heading the UK group.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/bonnier-publishing-promotes-mann-prepare-significant-uk-growth-547726|title = Bonnier consolidates UK divisions under Mann, prepares for 'significant' growth |magazine=The Bookseller|date=8 May 2017|first=Katherine |last=Cowdrey}} In the same year, she secured the deal for Bonnier Books UK to partner with Disney on a range of titles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/bonnier-publishing-partners-disney-new-range-635341|title = Bonnier Publishing partners with Disney on new range ||website=The Bookseller|first=Katherine|last=Cowdrey|date=11 September 2017}} She was subsequently recognised as one of the most powerful BAME leaders in the UK{{cite web |title=Six BAME women listed as most powerful people out of 1,000 in the UK. |url=http://www.inclusiveboards.co.uk/sixbamewomenin1000/ |website=Inclusive Boards |date=17 October 2017 |publisher=Inclusive Boards Ltd. |accessdate=15 June 2018}} She was the only person from the book publishing industry to appear on the list.
In 2020, Bonnier Books UK was awarded the London Book Fair International Excellence Award for Inclusivity in Publishing.{{Cite web|date=2020-03-11|title=Bonnier Books UK wins 2020 LBF International Excellence Award for Inclusivity in Publishing|url=https://www.bonnierbooks.co.uk/news/bonnier-books-uk-wins-2020-lbf-international-excellence-award-for-inclusivity-in-publishing/|access-date=2020-09-10|website=Bonnier Books UK|language=en-GB}} Mann was the first CEO of a major UK publisher to announce the move to a full flexible working policy for all office staff.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-03|title=Bonnier Books UK announces move from flexible hours to flexible working|url=https://www.bonnierbooks.co.uk/news/bonnier-books-uk-announces-move-from-flexible-hours-to-flexible-working/|access-date=2020-09-10|website=Bonnier Books UK|language=en-GB}}
In February 2025, it was announced that Mann would be taking on a new role as CEO of Simon & Schuster International, effective from 1 May 2025.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/perminder-mann-named-new-ceo-of-simon-schuster-international|title=Perminder Mann named new CEO of Simon & Schuster International|magazine=The Bookseller|date=18 February 2025|first=Maia|last=Snow|access-date=22 February 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/bonnier-publishing-rebrands-zetterlund-steps-back-mann-steps-838886|title=Perminder Mann to take reins at rebranded Bonnier|last=Campbell|first=Lisa|date=25 July 2018}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mann, Perminder}}
Category:21st-century British businesswomen
Category:Alumni of De Montfort University
Category:British chief executives
Category:British publishers (people)
Category:Businesspeople from London
Category:English people of Indian descent