Simon & Schuster, one of the largest publishing houses in the United States, named Greg Greeley, a former Amazon executive, its new chief executive on Monday. He succeeds Jonathan Karp, who has led the company since 2020 and will remain at the head of Simon Six, a new imprint he announced last summer alongside his intention to step down.
Greeley’s appointment comes at an uncertain moment for Simon & Schuster. The publisher was acquired by the private equity firm KKR in 2023, for $1.62 billion, after the Biden administration successfully challenged its proposed sale to Penguin Random House in federal court on antitrust grounds. Earlier this year, employees at Simon & Schuster were rattled by layoffs and staffing changes, which led to the departure of some high profile editors.
It also comes during a tumultuous time for the publishing industry, which is struggling with rising costs, stagnant sales and changes in the online retail ecosystem. Last year, print book sales were flat compared to 2024, according to industry sales tracker Circana BookScan. Literary agents and publishers have struggled to sell serious nonfiction, which has historically been one of the strongest categories at Simon & Schuster, whose roster includes authors like Bob Woodward, Walter Isaacson and Doris Kearns Goodwin.
In an interview, Greeley said one of the biggest obstacles publishers currently face is the fight for readers’ attention.
“Even over the last 20 years since I’ve been deeply immersed in the book business, readers have more choices than ever — between streaming, gaming, social media podcasts — and in that environment, helping the right readers discover the right books is increasingly important,” he said. “Discovery has always been the central challenge in publishing.”
Greeley is also taking the helm of a major publishing company at a time when the rise of artificial intelligence is radically reshaping nearly every aspect of the book business, often controversially, from how authors use the technology while writing their books to generating marketing copy and voicing audiobooks.
“It definitely will be a tool that will help us with better distribution, better discovery. It will help us with new formats,” he said. “But the kinds of ideas and stories that Simon & Schuster will champion will always come from trusted voices.”
Simon & Schuster, which marked its centennial in 2024, is one of the most prestigious publishing houses in the United States. Its authors include commercial behemoths like Stephen King and Colleen Hoover, prominent literary writers like Don DeLillo and John Irving, and celebrities and politicians like Jerry Seinfeld, Hillary Clinton, Mike Pence and Kamala Harris.
Greeley, 62, spent nearly 19 years working at Amazon, where for a time he ran the company’s books and media business. He helped launch the company’s self-publishing and print-on-demand operations and oversaw some expansion of its global audiobook business. He was also involved in starting Amazon Prime, the company’s paid subscription service that includes access to streaming entertainment and other perks.
After his time at Amazon, Greeley worked as the president of Airbnb’s Homes business and as the chief operating officer of Opentrons, a lab automation company, then as the chief executive of Thrasio, a company that buys private-label businesses that sell on Amazon. He stepped down as chief executive of Thrasio in 2024, after the company filed for bankruptcy.
Greeley’s appointment follows a six-month search with a recruiting firm led by Simon & Schuster’s board of directors. He was chosen for his understanding of the publishing industry and his “wide-ranging experience managing enterprises across physical and digital markets,” Richard Sarnoff, chairman of Simon & Schuster’s board of directors, said in a statement.
News of Greeley’s appointment was reported earlier by The Wall Street Journal.
In an interview, Karp said that his successor’s background in technology and businesses beyond the book world gave him a broader perspective on how to grow the company.
“It’s very unusual for a books publishing C.E.O. to have that range of experience, and that’s why I think he’s the one to take S&S to a new level,” Karp said in an interview.
Greeley said that he recognizes that he is likely to lead Simon & Schuster through another change of ownership at some point, as KKR’s business involves buying and selling companies. He added that while there’s currently no timeline for a sale, the board assured him that KKR was continuing to invest in long-term growth at Simon & Schuster, through building its overseas businesses, acquiring smaller companies and continuing to expand in audio and in popular categories like science fiction and fantasy.
Alexandra Alter writes about books, publishing and the literary world for The Times.
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