Live Q&A featuring James Daunt, Chief Executive Officer of Barnes & Noble

Indulge in coffee, pastries, and a lively Q&A session with Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt at the Portland Press Herald Headquarters, commencing at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 3rd.


Experience an exclusive, complimentary Q&A opportunity with Barnes and Noble CEO James Daunt at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 3rd. Enjoy coffee and pastries as you engage in this intimate gathering. The event will take place at the Portland Press Herald Headquarters, located at 295 Gannett Drive, South Portland. With limited seating available, secure your spot by reserving below.



James Daunt serves as the Chief Executive Officer of
 Barnes & Noble, the globe's foremost retail bookseller, as well as the stationery and gift retailer Paper Source, and Waterstones, the premier retail bookseller in the United Kingdom. Mr. Daunt's purview extends to managing over 600 Barnes & Noble bookstores and 125 Paper Source outlets in the United States, along with 300+ bookshops across the United Kingdom, Ireland, The Netherlands, and Belgium, which encompass Waterstones among them.

Blackwell’s, Foyles and Hatchards.

With over three decades immersed in the world of bookselling, Mr. Daunt's journey diverged from an early path in investment banking. In 1990, he took the bold step of establishing his own bookstore in London, aptly named (or rather unimaginatively named) Daunt Books. Today, with nine locations primarily in London, Daunt Books remains under Mr. Daunt's independent ownership.


In 2011, Mr. Daunt's career trajectory took a pivotal turn when he assumed the role of Managing Director at Waterstones, following businessman Alexander Mamut's acquisition of the struggling bookseller. Under Mr. Daunt's leadership, Waterstones underwent a remarkable transformation, reclaiming profitability. This success caught the attention of Elliott Advisors, leading to their majority stake acquisition in July 2018. Subsequently, Elliott expanded its holdings by acquiring Barnes & Noble in August 2019, followed by Barnes & Noble's purchase of Paper Source in May 2021.


Beyond his impactful contributions to the bookselling realm, Mr. Daunt's achievements were recognized with prestigious honors. In 2017, he was elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. His dedication to the publishing industry was further acknowledged when he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) during the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours.


Mr. Daunt's academic journey led him to Pembroke College at the University of Cambridge, where he pursued history. He is happily married and is a proud father of two daughters.