Simon & Schuster, a Global Publisher, has Acquired Veen Bosch & Keuning, a Dutch Book Publisher, Strengthening its International Ambitions

Simon & Schuster bolsters global presence with acquisition of Dutch publisher Veen Bosch & Keuning, expanding international reach.

on May 07, 2024

Simon & Schuster, a Global Publisher, has Acquired Veen Bosch & Keuning, a Dutch Book Publisher, Strengthening its International Ambitions | Frontlist

Simon & Schuster (S&S) and Veen Bosch & Keuning (VBK) today announced that they have signed an agreement under which the leading Dutch publisher VBK will become part of S&S, one of the world’s foremost publishing houses.

The acquisition covers all VBK publishers in the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as sibling companies Thinium and Bookchoice. VBK has found a strategic partner in S&S to help it achieve its long-held international aspirations while remaining autonomous. The terms of the all-cash deal were not disclosed.

In recent years, VBK has expanded to become the largest book publisher in the Netherlands, with a remarkable and venerable group of imprints that publish many of the most popular and acclaimed Dutch and international authors. S&S, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, employs around 1,700 people and produces 1,300 new titles each year, which are distributed in more than 200 countries worldwide.

S&S's wide international network of companies in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and India will provide VBK's authors with more options to publish their work outside of the Dutch-speaking region. Importantly, VBK will keep its independence: the company will continue to operate autonomously, ensuring editorial independence. Geneviève Waldmann, CEO of VBK, will continue to drive the Dutch business and join the S&S Leadership Team.

S&S is VBK's like-minded partner in the sphere of innovation. The size at which S&S operates provides considerable expansion prospects for VBK in technology, manufacturing, and distribution. The companies' united goal is for the work of VBK's Dutch-language authors to reach hitherto untapped audiences around the world.

S&S's acquisition of VBK marks its first step into ownership of a non-English publisher, and it fits well with the company's objective of expanding its publishing presence in key markets. S&S will benefit from VBK's increased access to the Dutch and wider European markets. The companies hope to provide a stronger platform for selling, producing, and distributing their titles across Europe, as well as to publish more S&S titles locally.

"We want to provide our writers with a bigger, more international platform. By joining S&S, we will be able to pursue our ambitions for digitisation and innovation. S&S and VBK are an ideal fit. Both publishing houses, managed by experienced publishers, have been established for more than a century and serve a diverse range of writers. Creativity and entrepreneurship are shared basic principles, as seen by the organizational culture in which authors often work in small teams with dedicated editors and collaborators," explains Geneviève Waldmann, CEO of VBK.

Jonathan Karp, President and CEO of S&S, adds: "During our discussions with VBK about a potential collaboration, we quickly realized that as publishers, we share the same values and work styles. We are confident that under Geneviève's guidance, VBK will continue to thrive. Our shared goal is to broaden the audience for our authors and their books in an increasingly global publishing industry. We are really pleased about VBK's development prospects. It will remain independent and function as an autonomous division within our organization. I am looking forward to welcoming all VBK colleagues."