Andy Ventris, director of the London Book Fair, will step down this summer and leave Reed Exhibitions, the company that runs the fair. Ventris was appointed as director in November 2020, succeeding Jacks Thomas, who retired earlier that year following the cancellation of the fair due to Covid-19.
A search is underway for Ventris' replacement, and that person will be responsible for organizing next year's fair, which is scheduled for April 18-20, 2023. This year's fair was the first in-person event in three years and attracted some 15,000 industry professionals, down about 10,000 from previous years.
“The LBF Advisory Board was unanimous in its positive reaction to the return of LBF this spring. It was a real achievement given the multiple obstacles over the last two years,” David Roche, chair of the LBF advisory board, said in a statement. “It has been great working with Andy over recent years, and I wish him all the best in his next role. The London Book Fair's position as a critical annual event in the business of publishing was reinforced in April and we look forward to welcoming a new director into the role who can build on this year and into the future.”
