Rights Group Announces New Co-Chairs

Publishers’ Licensing Services is delighted to announce that Jessica Rutt and Claire Harper are to become the new co-chairs of the PLS Rights Group.

Jessica and Claire take over from Margaret Szymczyk, Rights Director at John Murray Press, who oversaw publication of the Group’s White Paper, Rights Management in Publishing, a report that highlighted the significance of rights income on the profitability of publishers and how it increased the overall value of their business. 

The new co-chairs will bring plenty of experience and expertise to the role.

Claire is Head of Global Rights and Licensing at Sage overseeing the licensing, permissions, and translations for Sage books and journals. Claire has over 15 years of experience in the industry after starting as an editorial assistant at Nature.  

Jessica is International Rights and Licensing Manager at RCNi (formerly RCN Publishing) and is responsible for licensing content globally to a range of partners as well as overseeing copyright policy and best practise within the organisation. Before joining RCNi in 2017, Jessica spent more than a decade working at Nature and Springer Nature in Rights and Licensing. 

As part of PLS’ commitment to support the industry, the PLS Rights Group was created to share knowledge and encourage best practice in rights and licensing in all areas of the publishing industry. The Group meet three times a year to discuss developments in copyright, rights and licensing, and to coordinate various industry-wide group initiatives.  

For more information about the PLS Rights Group and resources to help improve knowledge of rights best practice, please visit the PLS Rights and Licensing Hub. If you would like to join the PLS Rights Group or want any further information, please email the Group at rights@pls.org.uk.