Hilary Delamere retires from The Agency this week, after 41 years in publishing and 31 years as a children’s book agent.
Hilary worked for several publishing houses including Penguin Children’s Books, where she was rights director, before joining The Agency (then Lemon Unna & Durbridge) in the early 1990s to look after Michael Bond’s Paddington Bear titles. Since then, Hilary has built a brilliant list of children’s book authors and illustrators.
Jessica Hare is stepping up to take over the children’s books department from Hilary.
Although no longer an agent, Hilary will act as a consultant for the Raymond Briggs Estate, for which The Agency was recently appointed to represent the publishing and media rights.
As announced in The Bookseller, Hilary has said of the news “I have worked with some of the most talented and creative authors and illustrators in the children’s publishing industry along with some of the finest publishers which has been a pretty good way to spend the last 31 years as an agent. And now I feel secure in the knowledge that I am passing on the baton to Jessica who is a proving herself as a real rising star in the industry.”
Jessica has added “Hilary has been a one in a million boss, colleague and mentor over the last six years and I will miss working with her enormously.”
All of us at The Agency would like to thank Hilary for her years here and dedication to her clients and their work. We wish her a very happy retirement!
For the full The Bookseller announcement click here.