The Kim Scott Walwyn Prize is the first award to recognise the professional achievements of women in publishing.
The prize commemorates the life and career of Kim Scott Walwyn (pictured left), who was a Publishing Director at Oxford University Press.
She was an outstanding editor and generous and inspirational manager whose career was widely recognised and celebrated in many tributes during her life.
The Kim Scott Walwyn prize, which honours the life and career of Kim Scott Walwyn and recognises the excellent achievements of women in publishing, was founded in 2003 and has been awarded five times to outstanding women publishers. To reflect developments in the publishing world, the prize-awarding committee is currently exploring ways of expanding the prize, to recognise both achievement and potential amongst women in the industry. The next prize will be awarded in 2011.
2009 prize
Kathy Rooney, Managing Director of Bloomsbury Publishing, has been awarded the Kim Scott Walwyn Prize.
She was presented with a cheque for £3,000 at a ceremony at St. Anne’s College, Oxford, on 17 June.
Francine Stock, of the Kim Scott Walwyn committee, commented: 'The judges were impressed by the outstanding trio of women on the shortlist. Each candidate demonstrated exceptional professionalism, talent and steadfast commitment to one particular organisation. Kathy Rooney’s determination, initiative, and resolve to acquire new acquisitions made her a thoroughly worthy winner of this year’s prize.'
Read the press release about the 2009 winner (Microsoft Word .doc 92Kb)
The shortlist for the 2009 prize was announced on 11 May 2009. The women in contention are:
Lennie Goodings, Publisher of Virago Press
Kathy Rooney, Managing Director, Bloomsbury Information Ltd
Alison Samuels, Publishing Director, Chatto and Windus
Read the press release about the shortlist (Microsoft Word .doc 101Kb)
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the £3,000 prize. Kate Jury, Committee Chair said:
'The committee, and all Kim’s family, friends, and colleagues, who have so generously supported the prize, are proud that it is now in its fifth award year. We welcome applications from women at all stages in their publishing career, and look forward to celebrating another outstanding shortlist and winner in 2009.'
Download the Prize Committee guidelines in full and the rules for entry (Microsoft Word .doc 44Kb)
Read the press release for the launch of the 2009 prize (Microsoft Word .doc 89Kb)
The prize committee
Professor Dame Gillian Beer DBE, FBA, FRSL, (King Edward VII Professor Emeritus at the University of Cambridge)
Catherine Clarke (literary agent at the Felicity Bryan Agency)
Denise Johnstone-Burt (Publisher at Walker Books)
Kate Jury (student, Landscape Architecture – formerly a marketing director for Oxford University Press)
Hermione Lee CBE (writer, English Literature professor and President of Wolfson College Oxford)
Fiona Maddocks (chief music critic, the Observer)
Sarah O’Brien (legal worker – formerly a production director for Oxford University Press)
Francine Stock (novelist and broadcaster)
Criteria
The judges particularly look for the qualities that marked Kim’s own career and the careers of those she encouraged – intellectual rigour, excellence in any area of book publishing (commissioning, editing, design and production, marketing, sales) and the ability to form and lead creative and innovative publishing teams.
The judges also look for women who show outstanding potential in their careers as well as high achievers.
Download the Prize Committee guidelines in full and the rules for entry (Microsoft Word .doc 44Kb)
Previous winners and shortlists
2008 prize
Clare Alexander was awarded the 2008 Kim Scott Walwyn Prize at a ceremony at St Anne's College, Oxford, on 8 May.
Hermione Lee of the prize committee said: 'Clare has exactly the combination of professionalism, inspirational editorial influence and know-how, shrewd good sense and range of skills that Kim Scott Walwyn would have admired.
'From a very high quality shortlist, the judges of the Kim Scott Walwyn Prize are delighted to announce Clare Alexander as the winner for 2008.'
Read the press release about the 2008 winner (Microsoft Word .doc 98Kb)
The shortlisted candidates for the 2008 prize were announced on 16 April:
Clare Alexander, Agent, Aitken Alexander Associates
Eleo Gordon, Editorial Editor, Viking
Alison Kennedy, Production and Distribution Director, Egmont UK
Jessica Kingsley, Chairman and Managing Director, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Read more about the shortlisted candidates (Microsoft Word .doc 99Kb)
2007
Winner
Annette Thomas, Managing Director of Nature Publishing Group
Shortlist
Rebecca Carter, Editor at Large, Random House
Susanna Lob, Head of Marketing, Reference and Online Publishing, Oxford University Press
2006
The prize was not awarded
2005
Winner
Penelope Hoare, Deputy Publisher, Chatto and Windus
Shortlist
Sara Abdulla, Editor of Macmillan Science, Palgrave Macmillan
Margaret Bluman, Editor and Contracts Director at Penguin
Lynne Patrick, founder of Creme de la Crime
2004
Winner
Lynette Owen, Copyright Director, Pearson Education
Shortlist
Rebecca Swift, Founder of the Literary Consultancy
Carole Welch, Publisher, Sceptre
Troth Wells, Founder Member and Book Publisher at New Internationalist Publications
Prize administration
Prize information
Claire Shanahan
t 020 8516 2972
e prizes@booktrust.org.uk
Press enquiries
Katherine Solomon
t 020 8875 4583
e katherine.solomon@booktrust.org.uk
