James Daunt

James Daunt
Born	(1963-10-18) October 18, 1963 United Kingdom
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, bookseller
Years active	1985–present
Known for	Founder of Daunt Books; Managing director of Waterstones; CEO of Barnes & Noble

Achilles James Daunt (born 18 October 1963) is a prominent British entrepreneur, recognized as the founder of the Daunt Books retail chain. Since May 2011, he has held the position of managing director at the bookshop group Waterstones. Additionally, from August 2019 onwards, Daunt has taken on the role of CEO at the American bookstore company Barnes & Noble. He is widely acknowledged for his pivotal role in rejuvenating Waterstones.

Early life and education

Born on 18 October 1963, Achilles James Daunt is the son of diplomat Sir Timothy Daunt and Patricia Susan Knight.

His education includes attendance at Sherborne School, followed by studying history at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

Career

Daunt's career began as a purser with Carnival Cruise Lines.

From 1985 until 1988, he was employed as a banker at JP Morgan. In 1990, he established Daunt Books, which grew into a chain comprising six bookstores located in London.

In May 2011, following acquisition by Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut, Daunt was appointed managing director of Waterstones. That year, both were ranked fourth in The Guardian’s list of the top 100 influential figures within the British book industry.

In recognition of his contributions to literature and bookselling, Daunt was named an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2017.

June 2019 marked his appointment as CEO of the US-based bookstore chain Barnes & Noble, which had been purchased by Waterstones’ parent company, Elliott Advisors (UK), for $683 million.

In the 2022 Birthday Honours, Daunt received the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of his services to publishing.

Personal life

Daunt is married to Katy Steward, who works in the healthcare sector. The couple has two daughters and resides in a four-storey residence located in Hampstead. They also maintain properties in Beccles, Suffolk, and on Scotland’s Isle of Jura.