Louise Moore is the Managing Director of Michael Joseph, one of Penguin Random House’s biggest commercial publishing lists, specialising in women’s fiction, crime, thriller, cookery, memoir, and lifestyle books. She made her way up the editorial ladder, starting as a PA, and joined the division as an editorial director in 1997, before being made publishing director in 2001. She’s been MD for over 15 years.

Now, Louise leads a talented publishing team that delivers the best commercial fiction and non-fiction. Her authors include household favourites like Jamie Oliver, Nadiya Hussain, Dawn French, Jojo Moyes, and many others. She is also an External Governor at the University of the Arts in London. Last year, she was Head Judge on Channel 4’s Great Cookbook Challenge with Jamie Oliver to find and publish untapped cooking talent.

In our conversation, Louise talks about how the fear of judgment impacted her physically, the journey she is on regarding her emotions and is, in her words, “still trying to crack,” and the value of locking herself in the loo for five minutes.

#10 - Louise Moore - Fear of Judgement