Introducing the second group of mentors and mentees for 2024/2025: Shaping the future of publishing

By   Zoila Marenco 6 min read

Following our recent introduction of the first group of mentors and mentees for our second mentorship programme in partnership with the London College of Communication (UAL) and Graduate Futures, we are pleased to present the second group. This programme aims to connect experienced professionals with new talent in book cover design and editorial roles. Each pairing will bring together experience and fresh perspectives, creating a unique opportunity for growth and learning in the publishing world.

Let’s meet the second group of individuals who will be embarking on this exciting journey together:

Pair 4: Holly Podina-Davies (Mentee) & Mark Ecob (Mentor)

Holly Podina-Davies is primarily interested in Design and Production within the publishing industry. Her career goal is to work in this sector, particularly in magazines or novels, with a focus on the production side. While open to freelancing, Holly’s main interest lies in finding a role within a publishing house. She is eager to learn more about making herself employable in this field, building a strong portfolio and improving her CV and personal branding as a designer. Holly is passionate about the production side of publishing and would love to understand how to incorporate this into her work. Through mentorship, she hopes to enhance her application materials, develop interview confidence and explore potential career paths in in-house roles and freelance opportunities within the industry.

Holly Podina-Davies headshot

Mark Ecob is one of the UK’s leading book cover designers, dedicated to creating excellent book packaging for publishers everywhere. Since 2001, he has been delivering award-winning designs to an inclusive client list of conglomerates, independents and self-publishers. Using decades of experience and a wealth of creative contacts, Mark guides covers from original concept to print in an honest and adaptive way. He is a mentor, a tutor and a competition judge. His work has been recognised by the D&AD, The British Book Awards, The Academy of British Cover Design and exhibited at the Hay Festival.

On becoming a mentor, Mark says:

I needed one when I started, and had a lot of questions I had to answer myself. Straight-up, this is how it is answered. I’m hoping to both inspire and inform. Plus, it’s collaborative. I’m currently studying a Masters at CSM and experience goes both ways.

Marc Ecob Headshot

Pair 5: Aastha Raisurana (Mentee) & Ahlawat Gunjan (Mentor)

Aastha Raisurana is a business school graduate with a keen interest in learning about editorial and publishing design. She will be completing her Masters in Publishing at the London College of Communication this year. Aastha has previous experience in magazine production and editing for university magazines and school newsletters, as well as some finance-related internships. She believes that an understanding of different disciplines helps to broaden one’s horizons and makes room for creativity, which encourages her to read widely and across different subjects. Aastha believes that through this mentorship she will be able to understand how design projects are undertaken in a professional environment, whilst also gaining an insight into the role of a publication designer.

Aastha Raisurana photo

Ahlawat Gunjan is a multiple award-winning designer with a master’s degree in graphic design from The Glasgow School of Art, UK. He also spent a semester at Indiana-Purdue University, USA, focusing on design thinking, innovation and leadership. Ahlawat is a graduate of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. Trained at Lars Mullers Switzerland and Faber & Faber, UK, he has a varied and interesting work experience. He has worked closely with renowned authors like Arundhati Roy, Salman Rushdie, Amitav Ghosh, Jhumpa Lahiri, Orhan Pamuk, Ruskin Bond, Ramchandra Guha, Ranjit Hoskote and many others.

Ahlawat has worked on various design commissions for major publishers including Penguin Random House India, Faber and Faber, Hachette, Little Brown, Hodder, Random House, Quercus, Hurst, Scribe AUS, Blackstone Publishing, Knopf Doubleday USA, Harvard University Press, Yale University Press, Princeton University Press, Lannoo, Manteau, Soho Press and others. He was the Art Director at Penguin Random House India for a decade and is currently pursuing an MA in Interior Design at the Royal College of Arts, London.

Ahlawat Gunjan headshot

Pair 6: Chloe Green (Mentee) & Alexandra Allden (Mentor)

Chloe Green is a writer and artist pursuing a career in Publishing as an Editorial and Production assistant. She is working to expand and pursue her interests in writing and design through creating zines and book-making, exploring the intersection of content and form in the creative practice of book making. Chloe is currently finishing her dissertation for MA Publishing UAL LCC, investigating the collectability and desirability of art books, resulting in the creation of a publication embodying her findings.

Chloe Green headshot

Alexandra Allden is a book cover designer and Falmouth University graduate (graphic design) with 12 years’ publishing experience. Her first role was within HarperCollins, then moving on to Bonnier Books and Welbeck Publishers where she was Art Director of Adult Trade. One year ago, Alexandra made the leap into freelance and now works on a mix of big publishers, smaller publishers and indie authors. She works on lots of genres but has a passion for illustration briefs within commercial adult fiction, particularly in fantasy and romance. Some of her most recent authors include Freya North, Libby Page, Lucy Diamond, Stephanie Garber and Holly Black.

On becoming a mentor, Alexandra shares:

I wanted to take part in this scheme as a mentor because I found all the mentorship within my career massively helpful in my growth and advancement and I wanted to do my turn in paying that forward to the next generation. I would have loved a scheme like this when I was just graduating and I hope that, by sharing my experiences and knowledge of publishing, I can help a graduate take their first steps into the industry.

 

Alexandra Allen headshot

Pair 7: Lottie Armitage & Louise Tucker (Mentor)

Lottie Armitage is a creative publishing student and experienced freelance editor pursuing a career in the book industry, with a focus on editorial roles in fiction. An English literature graduate with first-class honours, she is passionate about contemporary literary fiction, short stories and experimental graphic novels. Lottie is working to expand her expertise in writing and editing through her own fiction projects and copywriting work, exploring the intersection of creativity and professional publishing practices.

Through this mentorship programme, Lottie aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of the publishing industry’s inner workings, including collaborative processes and professional dynamics.

Louise Tucker combines a love of mentoring with publishing using knowledge gained from a career extending from entry-level researcher to editorial director. During her career, Louise spent many years editing non-fiction illustrated titles for publishers such as DK, managing every aspect of producing these complex books including photo-shoots, schedules, and budgets. Louise is currently a freelance editor for publishers including Whitefox and other private clients in the academic and new writers’ spaces. She is passionate about helping creatives establish their own publishing businesses, and has herself headed up publishing companies, led cultural tours and established an archaeological school.

Louise has mentored artists, academics and staff at the Prince’s Trust and Goldsmiths, University of London, and holds a coaching qualification from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

On her approach to mentoring, Louise says:

I approach mentoring with openness, compassion and a sense of lightness. My varied life experiences add depth to mentoring sessions, as do skills in counselling and hypnotherapy. A long publishing career has informed a belief that we all tell ourselves stories of our past and future, but sometimes it helps to change the narrative.

Louise Tucker headshot

This program is more than just sharing knowledge. It’s about building relationships that can lead to new ideas and drive the evolution of publishing. As publishing changes, programs like this are important. They help keep our industry fresh, varied and forward-looking. We’re very thankful to everyone who is taking part in helping mentor new publishing professionals. We’ll update you on these pairs’ progress in the coming months! 

Zoila Marenco
Zoila Marenco
Zoila has five years of experience in client management. She transitioned from working in an organisation offering talent management services to a tech startup specialising in behavioural change in teams. Her experience with clients and communities prompted her move to marketing, taking on the role of a community manager to help Whitefox build, expand and oversee online communities.