FT, McKinsey to host free event “Biz Books in Times of Uncertainty”

The Financial Times in collaboration with the McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award committee will be hosting a live virtual event “Business Books in Times of Uncertainty,” which will focus on the challenges and opportunities for business book authors, agents, editors, publishers, and booksellers in these times of crisis.

The event will also take a broader look at the economic and business implications of the pandemic and its aftermath.

The virtual event will take place on Tuesday, June 16, at 9 a.m. Eastern U.S. time and will be moderated by Andrew Hill, management editor, Financial Times.

Panelists will include award judge and previous winner Mohamed El-Erian, agent Christy Fletcher and Harper Business publisher Hollis Heimbouch.

Some topics that will be touched include:

• How will the reshaping of the post-pandemic affect the publishing industry and business more generally?
• What is the immediate outlook for publishers and how are they handling the challenges of a disrupted publishing schedule?
• Is the crisis accelerating or reversing structural change in the industry, such as the balance between physical and digital books?
• What themes will publishers be looking to cover as they plan their 2020-21 catalogues?
• How should authors respond to the crisis? What will the market for business books that do not address the fallout from coronavirus look like?
• What are the themes that judges of this year’s Business Book of the Year expect to rise to the top of this year’s pile of entries?