Marcus Leaver

The Quarto Group has launched a new consumer-facing website to promote its global publishing programme, and will start selling direct to customers in the UK this autumn.

The site will showcase and make available titles published by Quarto Publishing UK, and Quarto Publishing Group USA, and marks a continuation of Quarto's strategy to strengthen its brand. In 2013 Quarto rebranded its UK publishing business Aurum Publishing Group as Quarto Publishing Group UK, with c.e.o. Marcus Leaver describing the move as a "consumer-led approach". Earlier this year Quarto rolled out a create-your-own cook-book website"This is Your Cookbook".

While some publishers are most concerned with perfecting the ebook, or experimenting with new book formats, Marcus Leaver, CEO of The Quarto Group, is more interested in meeting readers where they are. "Putting books in the customers' hands is the most important thing," says Leaver, and Quarto, a global illustrated book publisher, is working to do that by partnering with distributors in its most underserved markets. It may not be as flashy as enhanced ebooks, but it's proven to be a profitable model, says Leaver.

During alast week's Publishing Business Conference & Expo, Marcus Leaver, the outgoing president of Sterling Publishing, offered what he described as some "common-sense prescriptions" for book publishers. "We must offer consumers an amazing value for their dollars," Leaver said, arguing for a shift in emphasis on quality over quantity. "The world does not need another book," he added. "We're still publishing far too many."

Marcus Leaver, President, Sterling Publishing: Will be three different businesses in the future: immersive text, illustrated text for children, illustrated text for adults.

Future not half as scary as people make it out to be.

Beautiful objects: quality will be the most important predictor of success.  With all the entertainement options out there qulaity will lead to success.  A lot of frtee content on the web and if consumers are going to pay for content  quality will be a deciding factor.

World does not need another book: those who do less will succeed more. Are publishing far too many books.

Thousands of publishing executives from the book and magazine publishing industries will convene at the New York Marriott Marquis, Times Square, March 19-21, for the Publishing Business Conference & Expo—North America’s largest conference and expo of its kind.

The conference—produced by Publishing Executive and Book Business (industry-leading business)—features more than 40 sessions and nearly 100 speakers, including: David Carey, President, Hearst Magazines; Josh Tyrangiel, Editor, Bloomberg Businessweek; Josh Quittner, Editorial Director, Flipboard; David Carr, Columnist and Reporter, The New York Times; Deborah Forte, President, Scholastic Media; Marcus Leaver, President, Sterling Publishing Co. Inc. (owned by Barnes & Noble); Michela O’Connor Abrams, President, Dwell Media (who is also the conference chair); Maureen McMahon, President/Publisher, Kaplan Publishing; Peter Meirs, VP, Production Technologies, Time Inc.; Matt Bean, AVP, Mobile, Social and Emerging Media, Rodale Inc.; and Christopher McKenzie, VP & Director, Institutional Sales, Americas & EMEA, Wiley InterScience Sales, Wiley.

Planning is underway for the 2012 Publishing Business Conference & Expo, March 19-21, at the New York Marriott Marquis, Times Square.

The Publishing Business Conference staff is thrilled to announce a dynamic keynote address by Marcus Leaver, president, Sterling Publishing Co. Inc. (a Barnes & Noble company) about his perspective on shifts in the industry and moving forward into a profitable future in publishing.

Read on for highlights of sessions and topics you can expect to see addressed this year.