The Marsh Agency Celebrates 25 Years At The Forefront Of International Rights
The Marsh Agency welcomed clients, publishers and scouts from Tokyo to New York, London to Los Angeles to its offices at the legendary John Murray building on Albemarle Street tonight – celebrating 25 years of the agency at the forefront of international rights.
The agency’s Managing Director, Camilla Ferrier, said: “It is a great pleasure to be here on the eve of The London Book Fair 2019, celebrating this milestone anniversary with our team, the next generation of writers and agencies, our exceptional group of long-standing clients, and customers from around the world.”
Specialising in international rights, the Marsh Agency was founded in 1994 by Susie Nicklin with her late husband Paul Marsh. As CEO of its umbrella, the MILD Group, Nicklin continues to oversee The Marsh Agency as part of a dynamic portfolio of book businesses that includes award-winning independent bookshop Dulwich Books, ground-breaking new publisher The Indigo Press and a series of festivals and literary events under the banner of Live Lit. Nicklin, whose former roles include Director of English PEN and Director of Literature at the British Council, was last year recognised as one of the industry’s most influential figures in The Bookseller 100.
Party guests enjoyed the iconic surroundings of Albemarle Street. Maria Campbell, leading international New York-based scout, said: “I had the privilege of working with Paul Marsh in my early scouting life. He was both a gentleman and a fabulous agent with a world view of publishing and authors ahead of its time. His partnership with Susie Nicklin expanded both his life and the agency in manifold ways. We lost him too soon but his spirit of advocacy for books in translation remains at the core of the agency. He would be so proud to see how the agency has evolved continuing its international representation of authors and adding the Indigo Press, Livelit and Dulwich Books among other activities. Long live the Marsh Agency!”
Offering international representation to a wide range of writers, literary agents and publishing companies, The Marsh Agency has grown consistently over the last quarter of a century and today boasts an impressive portfolio of clients based across the English-speaking world in the UK, US, Canada and Australia.
London client David Headley of the D H H Literary Agency, said: “ The Marsh Agency are an impressive team of professionals who have done a tremendous job in developing our own agency’s translation rights since we started working with them. We’re delighted to be associated with such a pleasurable team, who make selling rights seem effortless.”
Recent successes of the agency include Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize winning The Underground Railroad (for US agency Aragi, Inc; sold in 38 languages); Tommy Orange’s bravura debut There There (for US agency Aragi, Inc; sold in 18 languages); Stuart Turton’s Costa Prize winning The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (for UK agency D H H Literary Agency; sold in 24 languages); Shari Lapena’s number 1 bestselling thriller The Couple Next Door (for Canadian agent Helen Heller Agency; sold in 33 languages); Kate Atkinson’s magnificent and exhilaratingly satisfying literary and crime novels, sold in 35 languages; and Bill Bryson’s dazzlingly witty and erudite narrative non-fiction sold in over 40 languages, including the forth-coming The Body: A Guide for Occupants.
Leading international publishers were also present at the celebration. Thomas Rathnow, CEO of Random House Germany, said: “I have been working with the Marsh Agency for many years, and it has always been a pleasure due to the agency’s passion and professionalism. I consider it an honour to have known Paul Marsh of whom I have fond memories. And I have huge sympathy and respect for what Susie Nicklin has achieved in forming the MILD group. Here’s to the next 25 years of successful service to excellent writing!”
For Atlas Contact, Amsterdam Managing Director Chris Herschdorfer, said: “It was one of the saddest moments in my career to receive news of the sudden death of Paul Marsh in July 2009. I fondly remember being in touch and meeting with him and his team numerous times a year and working together on great authors and their books. The brilliant Jonathan Safran Foer springs to mind as one of our shared major successes back in the day. I loved working with Paul, I loved working with The Marsh Agency and I can only say that the agency today carries on to reflect the values, passion for books, expertise, gentle touch and warmth that was Paul. I salute Camilla and Susie for taking the agency forward and raise a glass to celebrate 25 years of The Marsh Agency.”
Francis Geffard of Albin Michel, Paris, said: “Over the years, it has been a constant pleasure to work with the great team at the Marsh Agency, which has at heart the value of books and the desire to share them with the world.”
Photo credits: Sarah Hickson
