Headline announces the launch of Headline Press
Headline Publishing Group is thrilled to announce the launch of a new serious non-fiction imprint, Headline Press. The new imprint will cement Headline Non-fiction’s rapidly growing reputation for publishing serious non-fiction with broad commercial appeal since the arrival of new team members in the past 18 months. Publisher Martin Redfern, Senior Commissioning Editor Bianca Bexton and Assistant Editor Holly Purdham will publish onto the list, supported by Editorial Assistant Ellie Harris. The emphasis will be on thought-provoking books that challenge and inspire, with a particular focus on politics and current affairs, history, personal development, popular science and memoir.
The first books to be published on the list this summer will be Power to the People, a radical manifesto for global activism by the former CEO of Oxfam UK Danny Sriskandarajah; Murder in the Gulag, a riveting account of the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny by the veteran journalist John Sweeney; and The Red Emperor, a revelatory biography of Xi Jinping by China expert Michael Sheridan.
Other acquisitions include an inside account of Sam Altman and Open AI by tech writer Ashlee Vance and an awe-inspiring exploration of the future of homes by housing journalist Gabriella Bennett. Upcoming history titles include Absent Minds, an entertaining account of the women who made psychology what it is today by feminist psychologist Dr Madeleine Pownall; The Essex Sisters by Grace Ioppolo, a fascinating history of three rebellious Renaissance women; and Maestra, a revisionist history of classical music told through forgotten female composers by feminist musicologist, Dr Laura Hamer.
Alongside politics, current affairs and history, Headline Press will publish quality non-fiction in personal development, popular science, and memoir. Future books will include Grassroots by Julia Rosen, the untold story of our entangled relationship with grass; and The Social Lives of Birds by Joan E Strassmann, a fascinating look into the cooperation and conflict that shapes the bird world. In memoir, Headline Press has snapped up the remarkable story of the first man to come out as gay, in 1960, of his own accord and using his own name, The Light of Day by Christopher Stephens and Louise Radnofsky.
Martin Redfern, Publisher, said:
‘The launch of Headline Press is an exciting moment which provides clarity and identity to Headline’s serious non-fiction publishing. Headline’s guiding spirit is to publish books that people want to read, and combining these commercial instincts with the new imprint’s broad and deep editorial expertise in serious non-fiction will position our authors for success. We are pro-actively commissioning and acquiring, and have ambitious growth plans for the list.’
Bianca Bexton, Senior Commissioning Editor, said:
‘I am delighted to be part of the incredible editorial team shaping the future of our new imprint, Headline Press. We have already got some brilliant authors on the list who encapsulate our mission to publish quality non-fiction that challenges and inspires, and I cannot wait to find more.’
Holly Purdham, Assistant Editor, said:
‘I’m thrilled to be part of this new direction for non-fiction at Headline alongside my excellent colleagues. We are excited to welcome a diverse array of authors to the list, be it because they have unique experience, expert credentials or simply an amazing story to tell.’
Mari Evans, Managing Director of Headline Publishing Group, said:
‘Headline Non-fiction has been building a list with ever greater layers over several years now, but with the appointment of Martin Redfern and Bianca Bexton to the team at the end of 2022, the firepower in our serious non-fiction acquiring was immediately supercharged! They have each brought a dynamic new mindset to bear, which you can see in the quality and range of the projects they’ve acquired, which in turn led to their strategy for the creation of the new Headline Press imprint. I’m excited to see what the future holds for Martin, Bianca, Holly and Ellie as the new imprint on the block.’
The new Headline Press colophon was designed by Headline Art Director Patrick Insole.
Martin Redfern joined Headline as Publisher, Non-Fiction in February 2023 after a six-year stint as a literary agent at Northbank Talent Management. He was previously an Editorial Director at William Collins and at BBC Books. In his first year at Headline he published The Abuse of Power by former prime minister Theresa May, Death in the Blood by Sunday Times political editor Caroline Wheeler, and Oath and Honor by former US Congresswoman Liz Cheney. His authors also include Valentine Low, Victoria Bateman, James Barr and Timothy Ryback.
Bianca Bexton joined Headline as Senior Commissioning Editor in September 2022 after six years at Penguin Random House. She is building a narrative non-fiction list across personal development, smart thinking, inspirational memoir, history, popular science and nature writing. Her authors include Gabriella Bennett, Ellen Atlanta, Grace Ioppolo, Jess Davies, Dr Anna Lembke, Tom Parfitt, Haru Yamada and Julia Rosen.
Holly Purdham joined Headline in May 2021 as an Editorial Assistant and was last year promoted to Assistant Editor. Prior to Headline she completed a master’s in philosophy and worked at Sceptre. Her list is largely narrative, and she has a particular penchant for books about identity, art, music, philosophy, animals and psychology. Her authors include Christopher Stephens, Louise Radnofsky, Peter Ross, Rosie Harte, Gail Simmons, Dr Madeleine Pownall and Joan E. Strassmann.
Ellie Harris joined Headline as an Editorial Assistant in December 2023, after completing a master’s in publishing at UCL. She is currently working with Martin and Bianca on narrative non-fiction titles across history, politics, personal development, popular science and nature writing.
