Friday, September 28, 2007


Profile goes green as Ellingham and Clark set up environmental imprint

Profile are delighted to announce today that Mark Ellingham and Duncan Clark will be joining the company in November to set up a green and ethical imprint.

Ellingham and Clark will commission books into a new imprint, GreenProfile, as well as into Profile’s general trade list. They will represent Profile at environment events and provide custom publishing for companies looking to create material around green issues. A further, innovative part of their brief is to offer publishing support to a range of charities. Ellingham and Clark were instrumental in the promotional launch of the rainforest charity Cool Earth (coolearth.org) earlier this year.

Mark Ellingham is one of the most respected figures in UK publishing, and joins Profile from Rough Guides, which he founded in 1982 (and which was bought by Penguin in 2002). In 25 years at the helm, he established Rough Guides as a trusted brand not only for travel but in areas ranging from world music to the Internet. In addition, Ellingham is co-publisher of Sort Of Books (whose bestselling authors include Chris Stewart and Tove Jansson), and a director of Songlines, the world music magazine. Duncan Clark has been a key figure in Rough Guides non-travel publishing for eight years, both as an editor and as author of titles such as The Rough Guide to Ethical Living. He also owns a low-energy light bulb business and is consultant editor for a major new environment project at the BBC.

Andrew Franklin, MD of Profile says:

‘We’re thrilled that Mark and Duncan will be joining us. Two of the most dynamic editors in the industry come to one of the most dynamic publishers: it’s a good fit.
‘We are convinced we can publish these books well – and profitably – but the purpose is not just financial. We at Profile are personally highly committed to the green idea. Globally, few subject areas are more pressing and there is a real need for incisive writing in the field. Incidentally Mark and Duncan will help us sharpen our internal operations too!’

Mark Ellingham says:

‘After 25 years at Rough Guides, I’m just about ready for a fresh challenge – and for some time I’ve wanted to put my energy into green and ethical issues. GreenProfile will allow me to do just that, as well as to try my hand at other publishing ideas, which wouldn’t have fitted into Rough Guides. I feel distinctly energised by returning to a small company environment, too, and especially to one with such an evidently can-do, no-set-rules attitude.’

Duncan Clark says:

‘This is a superb opportunity – both for Profile and for Mark and myself – to do groundbreaking publishing around some of the most important issues of our day. The environment is no longer a niche interest; it’s a key priority in every aspect of society. GreenProfile will reflect this with top-class books aimed at large audiences. I can’t think of a better place to be setting up this imprint than Profile, a fantastic, fast-moving independent run by people with strong environmental convictions.’

Notes for editors:

Duncan Clark
Duncan Clark is an editor and author specialising in environmental issues. His own books, which have sold more than quarter of a million copies, include The Rough Guide to Ethical Living. He’s a consultant editor at BBC Worldwide, an advisor to rainforest charity Cool Earth, owner of a low-energy light-bulb business and contributes to media such as Sky News, Radio 4 and The Guardian. Duncan helped to create the Eco Committee at Penguin and to set-up GreenerLiving magazine.

Mark Ellingham
Mark Ellingham founded Rough Guides in 1982 and is leaving the company after celebrating its 25th anniversary. He authored many of the early Rough Guides and created the company’s all-time bestseller, The Rough Guide to the Internet, which was on the Sunday Times Top 10 Bestseller chart for three years. He is on the advisory board of Cool Earth; co-publisher of Sort Of Books; and is a director of the world music magazine Songlines and the travel magazine, Wanderlust.

Profile Books
Profile is one of the UK’s leading independent publishers, publishing across a wide range of subjects including history, biography, memoir, politics, current affairs, travel, business, humour, popular science and a little fiction. In 2007 Profile bought Serpent’s Tail. Profile authors include Susan Hill, Deborah Ross, John Cornwell, Lynne Truss, Alan Bennett (sometimes co-published with Faber), Lionel Shriver, Walter Moseley and many, many more.

Cool Earth
Cool Earth (www.coolearth.org), was co-founded by Frank Field MP and Johann Eliasch (Gordon Brown’s new environmental advisor). Its aim is to buy at risk rainforest to prevent its destruction and consequent release of CO2 (rainforest destruction accounts for nearly a quarter of global carbon emissions).
FOOTNOTE from Bookman Beattie
Andrew Franklin was with Penguin Books for many years and during my time with Penguin I always enjoyed meeting up with him when visiting the London office.
Read more about him, and his impressive publishing career on this link -

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