© Michael Jershov
NICOLA SOLOMON is stepping down as Chief Executive of the Society of Authors after 13 years.
During her tenure at the trade union, Solomon's work has included driving payments for author festival appearances, securing Public Lending Rights on ebooks and setting up the AuthorShare scheme to pay royalties on used book sales.
A member of the Royal Society of Literature, she is a solicitor who was previously with Finers Stephens Innocent for 25 years, specialising in intellectual property and media law. Solomon is also Director of Literary and Dramatic Works at the British Copyright Council and an International Authors Forum committee member.
Solomon said: “I will miss my work at the SoA, but I am keen to retire and have more time for family, friends and personal projects. As well as sitting back with a good book, of course!
“I feel confident that I am leaving a strong, effective and influential trade union well-placed to continue its work to empower, inform and advocate for all types of writers, illustrators and literary translators.”
Management Committee Chair for SoA JOANNE HARRIS said: "Nicola has been an incredible force for change since the day she joined the SoA.
“Her energy, passion and formidable knowledge of law and industry has led the modernisation of the SoA during a time when developments across the creative industries, falling author incomes and a cost of living crisis, as well as a panoply of existential threats to authors’ careers, have made trade union support more essential than ever."
Soloman will remain in post until April next year. Meanwhile, the recruitment process for a new Chief Executive is underway.