At the Frankfurt Book Fair on October 15, 2025, Núria Cabutí of Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial and Chantal Restivo-Alessi of HarperCollins discuss how international publishers can combine global scale with strong local identities. Moderated by Rüdiger Wischenbart, the conversation explores growth, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, bookselling and leadership.
Restivo-Alessi describes HarperCollins International’s expansion across non-English-language markets and argues that publishing remains fundamentally a people business. Cabutí explains how Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial coordinates operations across Spain, Portugal, Brazil and Latin America through editorial hubs in Spain and Mexico, combining shared infrastructure with programmes adapted to individual markets.
The speakers examine encouraging growth in Spanish-language publishing, particularly among women and younger readers. Self-publishing platforms and Wattpad can act as sources of authors and stories, while screen adaptations and podcasts extend their reach. Digital channels complement physical publishing, but bookstores remain essential for personal recommendations, unexpected discoveries, cultural activity and author events.
On AI, both executives support experimentation while defending copyright and sustainable licensing. They see opportunities to reduce bureaucracy, accelerate workflows, improve marketing and revive backlist titles, but maintain that editors and human creativity remain indispensable. The discussion concludes with consolidation, catalogue value and the need for more women in senior leadership positions.
