Publishing Titan Award

Amandeep “Aman” Kochar is the servant leader at the helm of Baker & Taylor as president and group CEO of the 196-year-old book distributor, content services, and software company. Aman’s expertise in education technology, publishing, domestic and international operations, and engineering, combined with a high-energy, results-driven approach, has helped him lead Baker & Taylor into the digital realm since joining the company in 2014.

As one of the world’s premier distributors of physical and digital content, software, and services to public and academic libraries, B&T is uniquely positioned to make a difference in communities by helping the libraries that serve them. Aman believes that library collections should not only share stories but also reflect the fabric of the communities they serve. That mission has driven Aman to champion diversity within collections, particularly in the children and young adults section, where young readers can identify with the characters in their stories.

To help fill the representation gap, Aman led the launch of Paw Prints Publishing in 2022, returning Baker & Taylor to its publishing roots. The publishing imprint shares stories inspiring and enlightening youth from all walks of life. He has also penned the Jeet and Fudge early reader series. It’s the story of a young Sikh boy named Jeet, his adorable sidekick chocolate labradoodle, and their adventures in both volunteerism and play, reminiscent of Aman's childhood (and dog)!

Over the years, Aman’s role in diversifying products and services proved invaluable to the company. B&T has launched more new products and services in the last five years than in the last 30 years combined. His commitment to service earned him EdTech Digest's 2021 Global Leader award, and he was a 2021 Publishers Weekly Notable along with the top 50 Asians in Business in 2022.

Additionally, Aman is on the board of directors for the National Book Foundation and United for Libraries, a division of the American Libraries Association (ALA). He has an M.B.A. from IIT Kharagpur and a Bachelor of Information Technology from Delhi University.

Aman’s favorite books include Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss, Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini, How to See by Thich Nhat Hanh and Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling. He is known to often quote couplets from poems by Rumi, Emily Dickinson, Rupi Kaur, and Kahlil Gibran.

Publishing Awards Celebration

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

place Mandarin Oriental, 80 Columbus Circle, New York, NY, 10023

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Mandarin Oriental, 80 Columbus Circle, New York, NY, 10023