Keith Fox, CEO of Phaidon Press, will step down from the position on December 31. Phaidon’s board of directors will announce “the next steps in Phaidon's leadership transition” in the coming weeks.
Fox joined Phaidon in 2014 after 13 years with McGraw-Hill, where he served as president of McGraw-Hill Professional and BusinessWeek. During his tenure with Phaidon, Fox expanded its purview from a focus on art books to include lists in such categories as architecture, design, fashion, food, illustrated children’s books, photography, and pop culture. He also oversaw the acquisition of illustrated book publisher the Monacelli Press in 2020 as well as Artspace, a digital marketplace for fine art, in 2014. During the 10 years Phaidon has owned Artspace commissioned 150 limited edition artworks and raised $10 million in support of nonprofit causes.
“Eleven years ago I was fortunate to join an organization that prides itself on elevating bookmaking into an art form,” said Fox, in a statement. “It has been a privilege to work with such a talented group of colleagues, authors and partners to drive transformative growth of a historic and treasured brand.”
Under Fox, Phaidon also marked its 100th anniversary, and he oversaw the development of partnerships and book series with a range world-renowned artists, chefs, and cultural institutions, as well as digital-first launches with the rapper Drake and brands including Supreme and Uniqlo. During Fox’s tenure, Phaidon published books by such global figures in the art, culinary, fashion, and music worlds as Massimo Bottura, Diane von Furstenberg, Annie Leibovitz, and Rihanna.
