The Trailblazer Awards

The Trailblazers Awards celebrate professionals who have demonstrated creativity and innovation, and have achieved notable accomplishments in the book industry. Nominees should be in their first 10 years of working in the industry, have demonstrated the ability to inspire others, and have had a positive impact.

The awards are run by LBF in partnership with the Publishers Association, supported by the Society of Young Publishers and BookBrunch.

London Book Fair: Trailblazer Awards Panel

Each year, Society of Young Publishers attend London Book Fair and host a panel featuring the current year Trailblazers.

SYP chat to trailblazers about their career, their successes and what they imagine the next year will bring. The panellists share their knowledge and expertise about the publishing industry for those hoping to work in publishing.

SYP members receive discounted entry to London Book Fair. Members can view our member discount codes and non-members can find out more about our member benefits.

The 2025 Trailblazers

The winners of the 2025 Trailblazer Awards are:

  • Selina Brown, CEO and Founder, Black British Book Festival
  • Elizabeth Kellingley, Accessibility Manager, Bloomsbury Publishing
  • Nancy Adimora, Founder and Publishing Director, OtherStories
  • Adriano Noble, Assistant Editor, Dialogue Books (Hachette UK)
  • Searsha Sadek, Founder and Chief Product Officer, Shimmr AI 

Applications

Applications open later in the year so please keep an eye out on social media for updates.