#BigAppleBusiness Jonathan Karp to Step Down as CEO of Simon & Schuster and Launch the Company's Newest Imprint, Simon Six Simon & Schuster’s Board of Directors to Conduct search for a Successor Karp to Remain CEO During Transition
Simon & Schuster today announced that Jonathan Karp, Chief Executive Officer, has informed the Board of Directors of his intention to step down from his role as CEO. Karp will remain with Simon & Schuster and will become the publisher of a new imprint, Simon Six. In order to ensure a smooth transition and continued focus on Simon & Schuster’s authors, Karp will continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer during the transition.
“Simon and Schuster is on a great growth trajectory right now, and it has been a privilege to lead the company for the last five years,” said Karp. “When KKR acquired Simon & Schuster, I agreed to stay on through the transition, but my north star has always been our authors and their books, and I have decided it’s time for me to return to the part of publishing that animates me the most. I remain deeply committed to our mission and am excited to remain a devoted shareholder who will support our next leader and the entire team however I can.”
Jonathan Karp was named CEO of Simon & Schuster in May 2020, following ten years as Publisher of the company’s flagship imprint. Prior to joining Simon & Schuster, he was Publisher and Editor in Chief of Twelve, an imprint of the Hachette Book Group, which he founded in 2005. He began his publishing career in 1989 as an editorial assistant at Random House, where he worked for sixteen years, ascending to Editor in Chief.
Karp’s announcement coincided with the launch of the website for Simon Six (www.simonsixbooks.com), which will partner with Simon & Schuster’s existing imprints on six books a year, “each with an X-factor.” “As the founding publisher of Twelve, I published one book per month,” Karp said. “For Simon Six, I will acquire and edit half as many books each year and publish them with twice as much emphasis, in partnership with many of the same colleagues I’ve enjoyed working alongside for years.”
During his tenure, Karp has steered the company through periods of transformation and growth, including KKR’s acquisition of Simon & Schuster, which led to the broad investment in new editors, authors, and publishing initiatives, significant international expansion, strong financial results, and the implementation of employee ownership for all Simon & Schuster staff worldwide.
"Under Jon Karp's exceptional leadership over the past five years, Simon & Schuster has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth in an evolving publishing landscape. His strategic vision and commitment to literary excellence have strengthened the company immeasurably, attracted new/renowned authors and reinforced its legacy as a premier global publisher,” Simon and Schuster Board Members Ted Oberwager and Richard Sarnoff said. “We are thrilled to launch the new Simon Six imprint under Jon’s leadership. There is no better shaper of books.”
In a letter to all Simon & Schuster employees, Karp wrote: “Over the past five years, we’ve brought a lot of new talent to our company. We’ve become a more international company. We’ve created an ownership culture and we’ve achieved some record-setting results that have positioned the company for growth. Most importantly, we’ve kept our focus squarely on our authors and the books we publish.”
Simon & Schuster’s Board of Directors has retained Spencer Stuart to lead a search for Karp’s successor.
About Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, a global leader in general interest publishing, is dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world’s most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards. It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Adams Media, Avid Reader Press, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India, the United Kingdom, and VBK in the Netherlands and Belgium. It proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories. For more information visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.
