PubU | ECPA

This track is for all those who are involved in Rights Sales and management — whether you are a new starter or an old hand.

The basis of all publishing is the contractual right publishers have to leverage copyright for ministry and commercial gain. Join us for sessions that will equip you to manage and sell Translation and other rights in a fast-changing world powered by AI. And hear about real-world opportunities and problems that will give you fresh ideas and practical solutions. Rights is often a bit of a Cinderella department in a publishing company; but at PubU we will be going to the ball.

As sessions and speakers are confirmed, they will be added here.

SESSION ONE | Monday, November 10 | 10 am central

Where in the World?

The Basics: Buy Wide; Sell Narrow
Where in the World? Developing market feature: South East Asia

SPEAKERS

Tim Thornborough

Founder and Publishing Director, The Good Book Company

Massimo Gei

Executive Director of Gospel City Network Asia, and Greenhouse Publishing in Malaysia

SESSION TWO | Tuesday, November 11 | 10 am central

Ten Things I Hate About You

The Basics: What are we selling? Different kinds of rights
Where in the World? Developing market feature: Sub-Saharan Africa
Ten things I hate about you: What can we do better?

SPEAKERS

Tim Thornborough

Founder and Publishing Director, The Good Book Company

Gathuku Kibunga

Executive Secretary of Africa Speaks and Timazi Publishing Kenya

Alexander Reindl

Publishing Director (Verlagsleiter) of Verbum Medien, Germany

SESSION THREE | Wednesday, November 12 | 10 am central

When Rights Go Wrong

The Basics: Marketing and Methods
Where in the World? Developing market feature: Middle East and North Africa
When Rights Go Wrong: Disasters and how to avoid them

SPEAKERS

Tim Thornborough

Founder and Publishing Director, The Good Book Company

Lina Sawaqedy

Rights Director for the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region at Riggins International Rights Services and founder of BeLight Publishing

Aaron Camp

Vice President of Licensing, Crossway

Brian Flagler

Brian Flagler founded Flagler Law Group in 2006 to serve the legal needs of publishers, designers, producers, and distributors of Christian media. The firm is honored to represent many of the organizations throughout the United States that publish, teach, or distribute Christian books, messages, curriculum, and music. Before founding the firm, Brian served as VP of administration & general counsel of Multnomah Publishers after practicing intellectual property and corporate law at global law firms in Portland and Atlanta. He holds a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. Brian and his wife Amy have three sons and enjoy hiking the mountain trails and paddling the many rivers and lakes surrounding Asheville, North Carolina.

SESSION FOUR | Thursday, November 13 | 10 am central

The Future of Rights

The Basics: The Art of the Deal: Negotiating and Contracting
Where in the World? Developing market feature: Spanish
The Future of Rights: AI today, tomorrow and in ten years’ time

SPEAKERS

Tim Thornborough

Founder and Publishing Director, The Good Book Company

Craig Gipson

Craig Gipson represents publishers and distributors of Christian media in the Bend, Oregon office of Flagler Law Group. Since joining the firm in 2011, Craig focuses his practice on intellectual property, rights issues, and data privacy matters affecting Christian publishers. More recently, he has presented to multiple publishing industry associations on the topic of generative AI’s legal implications for the publishing industry. Previously, Craig began his legal career practicing education law at Brackett & Ellis in Fort Worth, Texas. He graduated from The University of Texas in 2005 and The University of Texas School of Law in 2008. When not working with Christian publishers, Craig enjoys being outdoors with his wife and two sons.

SESSION FIVE | Friday, November 14 | 10 am central

Rights & Licensing: Industry Meet-Up

Maximize one of the best take-aways of PubU: meeting others in your publishing role. Join other rights professionals in this networking session over Zoom, to connect and discuss the week’s topics.

TRACK LEAD

Tim Thornborough

Tim Thornborough is the founder and Publishing Director of The Good Book Company. Tim worked as a journalist in the Middle East for many years before starting The Good Book Company in his front room in 1991. Since then it has grown to become one of the largest UK-based Christian publishers with a worldwide operation. He spends most of his working time developing contacts and relationships with international publishers, and overseeing the rapidly growing rights department. Tim is a trained business mentor and loves nothing more than helping Christian publishers worldwide work out how to move forward through the many technological, legal, practical and financial challenges of getting great gospel literature into the hands of those who will benefit from it. Tim is the author of The Very Best Bible Stories series, and has contributed to many books published by The Good Book Company and others. He is married to Kathy, and they have three adult daughters.