Simon & Schuster Appoints Greg Greeley as CEO

Major publishing company Simon & Schuster has appointed former Amazon executive Greg Greeley as its new chief executive officer, marking a leadership change and breaking with the company’s long-standing practice of selecting CEOs from within its own ranks.

Greeley succeeds Jonathan Karp, who announced last year that he would step down as CEO. Karp will remain with the company to lead a new publishing imprint, Simon Six.

The leadership transition follows a search by the board to identify a successor who could guide the company through its next phase.

The appointment stands out because Simon & Schuster has traditionally promoted leaders from editorial leadership or internal publishing roles.

• Simon & Schuster appoints Greg Greeley as new CEO
• Former Amazon executive to lead major U.S. publisher
• Leadership shift signals digital focus in publishing industry

By selecting Greeley, an executive known for his background in technology leadership and large-scale business operations, the company signals a shift in leadership style as the publishing industry faces changes in distribution, digital sales and reader engagement.

Greeley, 62, spent nearly two decades at Amazon, where he held several senior positions and helped expand the company’s books and media business. During his time there, he was involved in the growth of digital publishing, self-publishing platforms and print-on-demand services, which became important parts of the online bookselling ecosystem.

After leaving Amazon in 2018, Greeley joined Airbnb as president of its Homes division, overseeing operations in the company’s global marketplace. He later held leadership roles at technology and consumer-focused companies, including Opentrons and Thrasio. In recent years, he has also worked as an investor and adviser to several businesses.

Richard Sarnoff, chairman of Simon & Schuster’s board of directors, said Greeley brings experience in managing large organizations and building consumer-focused businesses. Sarnoff added that the board believes his background in digital markets and global operations will support the publisher’s future growth.

Founded in 1924, Simon & Schuster is one of the largest U.S. trade publishers. Its catalog includes bestselling authors such as Stephen King, Colleen Hoover and Bob Woodward. The company was acquired by KKR acquisition in 2023 and marked its 100th anniversary in 2024.

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Greeley said he is honored to lead the publisher and emphasized the continued importance of books, authors and readers as the company enters its second century.