The Bradford Literature Festival has appointed a new chair of the board, John Makinson, who will take on the role from October 1.

Mr Makinson served as chairman and CEO of Penguin from 2002 to 2012, and later as chairman of Penguin Random House between 2012 and 2015.

He currently chairs the advisory board of the Bodleian Libraries, at Oxford University, and is a board member of Harvard University Press.

He is also a director of the humanitarian organisation Mercy Corps, and has previously served as chairman of the National Theatre and as managing director of the Financial Times.

He succeeds Sir Richard Lambert as chair.

Mr Makinson said: "In the space of ten years Bradford Literature Festival has grown from being the dream of its founder to one of the biggest and brightest, as well as the most diverse and distinctive, literary conversations in Europe.

"I’m thrilled to be joining as its new chair just as we usher in the second decade.

"It promises to be even more exciting than the first."

The festival celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2024 with a "record-breaking" audience of 155,934 from 24 countries, and appearances from the likes of Lemn Sissay, Miriam Margolyes, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, the Palestinian Ambassador Husam Zomlot, two-time Grammy winner Corinne Bailey Rae, comedians Shaparak Khorsandi and Ruby Wax, historian Mary Beard, and vicar and journalist Kate Bottley.

Syima Aslam, CEO and artistic director of the Bradford Literature Festival, said: "As I reflect on BLF’s achievements I look forward to our next era, building on the success of our first decade and expanding our audiences to deliver even greater social impact.

"With John Makinson’s leadership, support and extensive experience in the creative industries, we are ready to further grow our national and global presence and partners, to make an even greater contribution over the next ten years.

"We remain committed to ensuring that literature and the arts are accessible to all, creating a space where diverse voices can thrive."

More information about Bradford Literature Festival is available at bradfordlitfest.co.uk