Profile Books

Profile Books is a British independent publishing house with a clear vision: to publish deep, powerful, and diverse ideas. It is an excellent choice for any writer seeking a publishing partner that values intellectual quality, and for readers who prefer thought-provoking non-fiction books.

Foundation

Profile Books was founded on April 1, 1996, by Andrew Franklin and Stephen Brough, with the aim of publishing high-quality and intellectually diverse non-fiction works.

Publishing Focus and Vision

The house specializes in non-fiction across fields such as history, economics, business, science, biography, political thought, and social sciences.
Profile aims to present “strong voices and living ideas,” meaning books that stimulate critical thinking and reflect intellectual diversity. Their philosophy is based on building long-term relationships with authors.

Notable Achievements

Among their most famous titles is Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss, which sold millions of copies worldwide.
They have a partnership with The Economist to publish the “Economist Books” series.
They acquired the HarperCollins UK backlist, launched the Tuskar Rock imprint in collaboration with Colm Tóibín and Peter Straus, and also created a publishing line in cooperation with the Wellcome Collection focused on science and health books.

Distribution and Partnerships

Profile Books is a member of the Independent Alliance, a global network of independent publishers.
They work with international distributors and manage translation rights and subsidiary rights in-house.

Reputation and Credibility

The publisher enjoys a very strong reputation in the non-fiction literary world and has won the Independent Publisher of the Year award multiple times.
Notable authors published by Profile include: Mary Beard, Francis Fukuyama, Atul Gawande, and Shoshana Zuboff.

Strengths

Editorial independence that allows for bold publishing decisions
Wide diversity of subject areas
A strong network of authors
Long-term relationships with writers
International distribution and extensive translation rights

Potential Challenges

Being independent may mean more limited resources compared to major global publishers
Some titles are highly specialized, which can limit their audience
Managing international rights and global distribution requires significant coordination