The death of Hilary McPhee, Australian publishing pioneer, should prompt Kenya to examine how seriously it takes female leadership in its own industry
By Ashford Kimani
The death of Hilary McPhee, the pioneering Australian editor and publisher, offers the world a moment to reflect on the power of women to transform industries long dominated by men. For Kenya, her story raises an important question: when will the publishing industry deliberately create more space for women to lead?
McPhee co-founded McPhee Gribble Publishers with Diana Gribble in 1975, helping open doors for Australian writers whose voices deserved a wider audience. She later led the Picador imprint at Pan Macmillan Australia and became the first woman to chair the Australia Council for the Arts. Her career demonstrated that women do not merely participate in industries — they can shape their direction, influence their priorities and redefine their future.
Kenya does not have to look overseas for inspiration. We have women whose presence in educational publishing should provoke a serious conversation about leadership, representation and succession. Mary Maina of Moran Publishers, Josephine of Mentor Publishers and Cate of Distinction Publishers are names that deserve to be firmly in that conversation.
The question is not whether Kenyan women can contribute to publishing. They already do. The question is whether the industry is ready to give women real authority at the highest levels of decision-making.
Publishing is much more than printing books and supplying textbooks to schools. Publishers determine which stories reach readers, which writers receive opportunities, which histories are preserved and which ideas enter national conversations. In education, their decisions influence what children read, whose experiences learners encounter and how young people understand their communities and the wider world. An industry that neglects diverse voices risks producing books that are technically sound but disconnected from the realities of the people they serve.
Women bring valuable perspectives to this process, just as men do. Their experiences can enrich editorial decisions, expand the range of stories considered worthy of publication and strengthen the bond between books and readers. The argument is not that women are inherently better publishers. It is that an industry cannot afford to overlook capable leaders simply because of gender.
Kenya already has a tradition of women challenging the boundaries of publishing. Asenath Bole Odaga helped create opportunities for African literature through Lake Publishers. Eunice Mathu built the Parents magazine brand into a long-running Kenyan institution. Their achievements demonstrate that female leadership in publishing is neither a foreign concept nor an unfamiliar experiment.
The task now is to build on that foundation. Mary Maina of Moran Publishers is an important point of reference. Moran is an established educational publisher, and Maina’s professional journey to the position of managing director illustrates the value of experience, institutional knowledge and steady leadership development. Josephine of Mentor Publishers and Cate of Distinction Publishers should feature equally in the wider conversation about women shaping Kenya’s publishing landscape. Their names remind us that the industry is not built by one company or one individual. It is a network of publishing houses, editorial teams, authors, distributors, teachers and education professionals whose decisions collectively shape what reaches Kenyan learners.
These women should not be reduced to symbols of gender representation. The more important questions concern their professional contributions, the decisions they influence and the opportunities available to women aspiring to similar positions. Their presence should encourage the industry to identify more women with the experience and capacity to lead, invest in their professional development and make senior appointments through transparent, merit-based processes.
Representation, however, must translate into genuine decision-making power. An organisation can employ many women as editors, proofreaders, marketers and sales representatives while reserving its most influential positions for a narrow circle. Representation at the lower levels is not the same as authority in the boardroom. Who decides which manuscript deserves investment? Who controls publishing budgets? Who determines the direction of educational publishing? These questions matter because leadership determines whether talent is nurtured or overlooked.
Kenyan publishing houses should examine their leadership structures and identify the barriers that prevent qualified women from advancing into senior editorial, executive and ownership positions. Transparent promotion procedures, mentorship, equitable access to professional development and family-friendly workplace policies can make advancement more accessible. Professional associations can support this process by developing leadership programmes, connecting emerging professionals with experienced mentors and encouraging meaningful participation by women in industry decision-making. Women should also be encouraged to establish independent publishing ventures, build commercial networks, secure investment and take creative risks. Leadership is not confined to occupying an existing office; it also means creating new institutions and opening opportunities for others.
Kenya’s publishing sector is being reshaped by digital platforms, artificial intelligence, changing reading habits and the demands of Competency-Based Education. Schools need relevant learning materials, teachers need practical classroom resources, and learners need books that develop curiosity, creativity and critical thinking. These challenges require leaders who understand both the commercial realities of publishing and its deeper educational responsibilities. Women must have a fair opportunity to help shape the industry’s response.
Hilary McPhee’s legacy reminds us that transformative leadership often begins with the courage to challenge convention. Kenya has its own pioneers — and its own contemporary women ready to write the next chapter. The time for merely praising women after they have broken through is over. What is needed now are structures that allow more women to rise, lead and succeed.
A woman at the helm of a major Kenyan publishing institution should not be appointed as a favour. She should lead because she possesses the vision, competence and professional judgment the role demands. The question is no longer whether Kenyan women can lead publishing. Our own history and present-day industry provide ample evidence that they can. The question is whether the industry is prepared to give the next woman the authority, resources and freedom to shape its future — not as a symbolic gesture, but as a confident investment in talent, innovation and the next generation of Kenyan literature.
Ashford teaches English and Literature and writes on education, literacy and youth development.
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