Driving growth in the changing world of book publishing – Join the conversation at Canon’s first virtual Future Book Forum

2020 has been a year of change for many businesses and industries, and a year where they’ve had to adapt to ever-changing circumstances. However, with challenges, come opportunities and this is what will form the crux of this year’s Future Book Forum.

  • Canon’s first virtual Future Book Forum will take place on 18 November 2020 at 15:00 – 17.45 CET
  • Industry experts will offer their insights on the current challenges and future growth strategies in the book publishing industry
  • Theme: Opportunities in the year of change

This year marks the eighth Future Book Forum and the first to be held virtually, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The online event, which will take place online on Wednesday 18th November 2020, between 15:00 and 17:45 CET, will look at the impact the pandemic has had on the book publishing industry and the opportunities it presents.


No one could have imagined how the world and business would change in 2020, and there is no question that COVID-19 has changed consumer behaviour, impacting the way that books are created, produced and consumed. Peter Wolff, Vice President, Production Printing Products (PPP), EMEA Commercial Printing, Canon Europe, comments: “This year’s Future Book Forum comes during a year which has challenged many of the industry’s businesses, in which they are having to reset their strategies for the short-term and implement sustainable business practices to survive in the long-term. We’ve also seen consumer habits shift, meaning businesses are having to look at how to reach their readers differently. This year’s Forum will address exactly this. Participants can join us to discover new growth opportunities with the printed book and how publishers can add value to the next generation of readers.”


This is the first time Future Book Forum will move to on online format, participants will have access to engaging and insightful presentations from publishing businesses from across the world, looking at how the industry can survive, sustain and innovate in a crisis. Last year’s event focused on building and nurturing communities of readers to enable publishers and printers to find new areas of growth. This message is still as relevant this year, where the publishing industry needs to come together to uncover new business models that have been created as a result of COVID-19.


The event will be chaired by global author and speaker, Peter Fisk who notes: “Over the last seven years, Future Book Forum has taken publishers on a journey to reimagine books and new opportunities for growth. And this year, the challenge is urgent. Now is the time for the industry to have courage and make the future happen. It’s time to survive and thrive!”


Mark Allin, Entrepreneur and Chair of William Reed Business Media, who has supported Future Book Forum for the last three years, adds: “The 2020 Future Book Forum comes at an extraordinary time for us all. The annual event enables the industry to come together to reflect, recharge and refocus on the future, to hear and learn from some inspirational stories from businesses across the world, and to interact and collaborate with each other in this unique online event.”


Speakers will include Nick Morris and Alex Quicho at Canvas8, who will look at the pandemic from the consumer perspective and how 2020 has changed readers’ worlds and behaviours. Claire MacLellan, of Future PLC will examine COVID-19 from the publishing world and share how this year has changed Future PLC’s business. Tara Lajumoke and Harriet Wright from FT Strategies will talk about why, now more than ever, a deeper relationship with consumers matters. Jesús Badenes del Río from Planeta will lead the ‘Innovation Accelerator’ session together with Sven Fund from Knowledge Unlatched looking at what has changed, the importance of the physical book and the new value-added role it has to play.


There will also be a panel discussion with booksellers from different countries discussing how business change has been accelerated and their expectations on the future.


Canon’s Future Book Forum is targeted towards:


  • Publishers
  • Book Printers
  • Distributors
  • Journalists
  • Publishing and Printer Associations
  • Technology Provider / Start-ups
  • Catalogue and magazine printers
  • Influencers and opinion leaders from organisations, forums, media, etc.

For more information on the event and how to register visit: www.canon-europe.com/business/insights/events/future-book-forum/. Participation is free of charge.