Colombian CEO wins International Young Publishing Entrepreneur Award 2009

Andrés Barragán is the CEO of Puntoaparte Editores, a Colombian publishing firm that has succeeded in reaching new audiences in innovative ways despite a complex and challenging market. By turning books into successful marketing and business tools, Puntoaparte have helped socio-cultural non-profit organisations gain notoriety, and find new sources of income.  They have aided new and large businesses develop their marketing strategies, documented the legacies of artistic enterprises, and given visibility to marginalised populations such as prostitutes and former combatants by telling their life stories. 

Barragán combines his work with a part-time MBA programme, and gives lectures on entrepreneurship at conferences at the Colombian Chamber of Commerce and universities.  His company features in MBA programmes and will be the subject of a major documentary film.

A panel of five judges, chaired by Literary Agent Clare Alexander, chose the winner from a shortlist of finalists representing small–to–medium sized publishers from Argentina, Colombia, India, Lebanon, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey and UAE. The award was presented by Ian Hudson, Random House Deputy CEO and President of the Publishers Association.  Barragán was awarded £5,000 prize money to be spent on a British-linked publishing initiative, and a free stand at London Book Fair 2010.

After the presentation of the award IYPE winner Barragán Andres Barragan, Chief Executive Officer, Puntoaparte Editores, (Colombia) said "I am very proud to be able to bring this back to my country. Without the British Council this would not be possible."

The judges said of the winner: “Andrés is a true example of a young and innovative creative entrepreneur.  An excellent communicator, he’s an out-of-the-box thinker working in an extremely challenging cultural context.  What he’s managed to do with his business model should be exemplary for other practitioners, especially in developing markets where it could be easily applied.  Third generation of booklovers, Andrés exhibits the ideal articulation of cultural interest and commercial awareness that every publishing entrepreneur should have.’    

Special commendations were given by the judges to runners up Arthur Attwell, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Electric Book Works, South Africa, for his “openness to embrace new challenges and opportunities”; and to Shashi Martynova of Russia (Director and Editorial Manager of LIvebook Publishing) for her “vision, dynamism and individuality”.

In partnership with the British Council and the London Book Fair, the International Young Publishing Entrepreneur Award (IYPE) was launched six years ago to champion and celebrate the importance of creative entrepreneurs working in the international publishing sector, showcasing individual achievement and potential.  Since then, 45 young publishers from 20 countries have taken part in the programme, building an active alumni network in the process. 

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For further information, images or to request an interview, please contact Eleanor Hutchins, on 020 7389 4981 or eleanor.hutchins@britishcouncil.org

Notes to Editors:

·       In the spirit of engagement, collaboration and partnership, the International Young Publishing Entrepreneur (IYPE) award is targeted at transitional and developing economies, and celebrates and champions the notion of creative leadership – specifically the need to identify and nurture future leaders of the publishing industry and markets around the world. For more information, please visit: www.creativeconomy.org.uk/iype09  

·       The British Council works in over 100 countries and territories worldwide to build intercultural understanding between the UK and other countries through the arts, education and training, science and technology, sport, good governance and human rights. For more information, please visit: www.britishcouncil.org

·       The judges for 2009 IYPE were Clare Alexander (Literary Agent, Aitken Alexander Associates Ltd.), Emma House (International Director of the PA), Sonny Leong (Executive Chairman of Cavendish Publishing and Chairman of the IPG), Philip Goodwin (Programme Leader in Creative and Knowledge Economy at the British Council) and the Yemeni winner from last year, Nashwan Al-Maghafi (Director of Yemen Bookstore).