January 27, 2021
Brian Napack, President and CEO of John Wiley Sons, Re-Elected Chairman, AAP Board of Directors
Michael Pietsch, Chief Executive Officer of Hachette Book Group, Elected Vice Chairman, AAP Board of Directors
Washington, DC — The Association of American Publishers (AAP) announced today that its Directors have re-elected Brian Napack as Chairman of the Board for the 2021-2022 term, and elected Michael Pietsch as Vice Chairman.
Mr. Napack, who is President and CEO of John Wiley & Sons, began his tenure as Chairman in September of 2020. Previously he served as AAP’s Vice Chairman since the beginning of 2020, and as a Board member since 2017.
Mr. Pietsch is Chief Executive Officer of Hachette Book Group. He has served on the AAP Board since 2013.
In addition, the Board elected Jeremy North, Managing Director for Books publishing at Taylor & Francis, to continue in the role of Treasurer.
Rounding out the Board’s Executive Committee is Tim Bozik, President of Global Product and North American Courseware for Pearson, and AAP Chairman from 2019-2020.
“AAP’s Board has long been home to some of the most accomplished and talented executives in publishing,” commented AAP’s President and CEO Maria A. Pallante. “We are grateful to Brian Napack and Michael Pietsch for accepting these leadership posts in service to the industry, as AAP continues to advocate for laws and policies that incentivize the lawful publication of books, research journals, and education solutions worldwide.”
“A vibrant, independent publishing industry plays an essential role in our democracy, and this year, more than most, it will play critical role in the healing of our nation,” said Brian Napack. “It is a privilege to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with AAP and its member companies to pursue our critical mission, one that enables discovery, learning, creative expression and, overall, the advancement of society worldwide.”
“AAP’s work in promoting copyright protections, free expression, and fair markets has never been more important. It is my honor to serve AAP’s membership and to work with such a committed board of executives to help publishers, authors, and readers to thrive,” added Michael Pietsch.
About Brian Napack
Brian Napack is President and CEO of John Wiley and Sons (Wiley), a global leader in research and education, and one of the world’s preeminent publishers. He is the 14th president in Wiley’s 214-year history.
As the Chairman of the Association of American Publishers (AAP), Brian works to protect and promote the central role that publishers play in enhancing culture, scholarship, education, the workforce and democracy. He also serves on the board of Zero-To-Three, a science-based advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life.
Brian has focused on the advancement of knowledge and learning throughout his career. Over three decades, he has held senior roles in publishing, education, information, and media at leading companies such as Macmillan, The Walt Disney Company and Simon & Schuster. He has served on numerous boards including those of Blackboard Inc., Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Burning Glass, Ascend Learning, RB Media, and Ingram Industries.
Brian has also pursued his knowledge and learning mission as an investor, entrepreneur, and advisor, serving as a Senior Advisor at Providence Equity, a leading investor in media and education, a partner at L.E.K. Consulting, the global consulting firm, and as founder and CEO of ThinkBox, an ed-tech company focused on early childhood. He received an MBA from Columbia University and a BA from Middlebury College.
About Michael Pietsch
Michael Pietschis Chief Executive Officer of Hachette Book Group, a leading US publisher of books for general readers. HBG comprises eight publishing divisions – Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Audio, Hachette Nashville, Little, Brown and Company, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, Orbit, and Perseus Books—and is the U.S. division of the French company Hachette Livre, the world’s third largest book publisher. As CEO since 2013, Michael has overseen the acquisitions of Hyperion Books, Black Dog & Leventhal, and Perseus Books during a period of growth and transformation for HBG.
Earlier in his forty-year publishing career, as Publisher at Little, Brown and in editorial positions at Crown and Scribner, Michael published books by acclaimed writers including Chuck Berry, Michael Connelly, Tina Fey, Malcolm Gladwell, Ernest Hemingway, Stephenie Meyer, Walter Mosley, James Patterson, Keith Richards, J.K. Rowling, Stacy Schiff, David Sedaris, Donna Tartt, and David Foster Wallace. Michael continues to edit books, and his passion for the close partnership between writers and publishers is the foundation of his work as CEO. He graduated from Harvard College and serves on the boards of PEN America, Poets & Writers, and the Association of American Publishers.
About AAP
AAP | The Association of American Publishers represents the leading book, journal, and education publishers in the United States on matters of law and policy, advocating for outcomes that incentivize the publication of creative expression, professional content, and learning solutions. As essential participants in local markets and the global economy, our members invest in and inspire the exchange of ideas, transforming the world we live in one word at a time. Find us online at publishers.org or on Twitter and Instagram at @AmericanPublish.