Amanda D’Acierno, Executive Vice President & Publisher, Penguin Random House Audio Group, said, “We are absolutely thrilled to be the first publisher to receive this award, which is especially meaningful in a year in which the London Book Fair is bestowing deserved recognition on the fast-growing significance of and popularity internationally for audiobooks and audio publishing.” “Crucial to Penguin Random House Audio’s success is finding the right voices, making accurate recordings and memorable performances,” commented the judges, who also noted the winner’s “professionalism, sheer quality, and scale of their ambition” The International Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding publishing merit in seventeen categories, and are judged by experts in each sector. The other shortlisters for the audiobook publisher of the year award, which was open to publishers outside the UK, were Brazil’s UBook.com and Kaishu Story Media & Culture Co from China. To view the complete list of 2018 LBF International Excellence Awards winners, click here.

Brazilian publishing. He co-founded Companhia das Letras, with his wife, the historian and anthropologist Lilia Moritz Schwarcz, in 1986. Since then, it has made a profound and unique contribution to book publishing in Brazil, having published over 5,000 titles across fiction and nonfiction. In October 2016, the company celebrated its 30th anniversary; and according to Nielsen’s report that year the Companhia das Letras Group held the largest market share of trade publishing in Brazil. Luiz Schwarcz “I feel deeply honored,” said Mr. Schwarcz, “and also humbled to receive the news that I have been granted the Lifetime Achievement Award by The London Book Fair. Honored to be part of this incredible group of publishers that includes some of my heroes. And humbled as I always think that part of my job is to help authors to be awarded and that all the prizes should go to them. I am particularly happy to have my name next to Deborah Rogers’, one of my greatest friends in publishing and whom I admire and deeply miss. I consider that the award is for all the people who helped me to build Companhia das Letras.” The London Book Fair’s Advisory Board, under the chairmanship of David Roche, Non-Executive Chair, The London Book Fair, voted for Mr. Schwarcz from a shortlist of international publishing figures. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual who has made a truly significant mark in the sphere of global publishing. It is open to publishers, agents, editors, scouts and anyone else involved in international publishing from any country in the world. Last year the award was presented to Baroness Gail Rebuck DBE, Chair, Penguin Random House UK Board. The Lifetime Achievement Award in International Publishing will be presented at the International Excellence Awards on March 14 in London.