Nicholas "Nicky" Byam Shaw, the former Macmillan CEO and chairman who sold the company to Holtzbrinck, died on September 25. He was 90.
Byam Shaw led Macmillan as chairman from 1990 to 1998, and also served as chair of the Pan and St. Martin's Press imprints, before retiring in 1999. In 1995, he oversaw the sale of Macmillan to current owner, the German-based Holtzbrinck Publishing Group.
"This was a decision rooted in long-term foresight, despite the personal history—his father was lost during World War II in a German attack—and the potential historical sensitivities of a British publishing house being acquired by a German firm," wrote Holtzbrinck CEO Stefan von Holtzbrinck in a tribute to Byam Shaw. "He transformed our group, we feel to this day the trust he placed in us and the great responsibility that comes with it."
Byam Shaw joined Macmillan in 1964 as an international sales executive, and under his leadership, Macmillan created its first locally managed offices in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Dehli, and Bangalore. A champion of the U.S. market, he was promoted to deputy managing director in 1967, and from 1969 to 1990 he served as managing director. He also served on the executive and supervisory boards for more than a decade, starting in 1995.
