Robert Waddington

As Group Sales Director, I look after our sales teams selling across both the UK and internationally.  Like a lot of people with careers in sales, never once did I imagine myself as a sales person. However, Sales today is very different to what it was twenty or thirty years ago. After starting my career as a retail buyer for ASDA/Wal-Mart, I quickly realised that the most successful sales people are those who work in partnership with retailers. Sales now touch every area of our business and everyone I work with at Penguin Random House is out to achieve the best possible result for our authors by working with our retail partners and exploring new opportunities around the world. 

A book that's left a deep impression on me: Waterborne by Bruce Murkoff (a book that taught me however much you might love it, you can’t make it sell!)

My literary hero: Tess of the d’Urbervilles (everybody should read Thomas Hardy).

A book I'd recommend to everyone: Mudbound by Hilary Jordan; my favourite book where I’ve been involved with the publication. Read the book, don’t watch the film.