David Shelley
David Shelley is Chief Executive Officer of the Hachette Book Group, which is home to seven publishing divisions – Basic Books Group; Grand Central Publishing; Hachette Audio; Little, Brown and Company; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Orbit; and Workman Running Press Group. He also serves as CEO of Hachette UK, the second largest UK publisher, with 12 autonomous divisions and over 50 imprints.
He began his career in 1997 at Allison & Busby, an independent publishing house, and eventually lead the company from 2000 to 2005. He then joined Little, Brown in 2005 as Editorial Director focusing on crime and thriller titles, while also managing audio and ebook programs. He became Publisher of their commercial imprint Sphere in 2007 before taking on broader leadership of Little, Brown Publisher in 2011. During his tenure, he published bestselling authors including Mitch Albom, Mark Billingham, Patricia Cornwell, Carl Hiaasen, Dennis Lehane, Val McDermid, and J.K Rowling.
In 2015, he was named CEO of Orion and Little, Brown, and later appointed Group CEO of Hachette UK in 2018. In 2024, Lagardère tapped David to also oversee Hachette Book Group in the US as part of a new English-language management structure. He has since transformed the New York-based company, ushering in new imprints, high-profile hires, and boosting revenue and profit – HBG sales were up 7% over 2023—the biggest jump posted by any of the groups in Lagardère’s publishing business.
David’s leadership is defined by the company’s four strategic business pillars: Understanding Consumers, Changing the Story, Owner Mentality and Growth Mindset. He fosters open communication with the 3,500 employees he leads across both sides of the Atlantic, cultivating a sense of community while aligning all business teams. David is an Officer and past President of the Publishers Association, a trustee of The Reading Agency, and a director of Tate Enterprises.