S2 Ep2: Ben Ashcroft, De Gruyter Brill

S2 Ep2: Ben Ashcroft, De Gruyter Brill

Ben Ashcroft has spent his career building relationships in academic publishing. As Chief Commercial Officer of De Gruyter Brill - the combined entity that emerged from Brill's acquisition by De Gruyter in 2024 - he now sits at the centre of one of the most significant mergers the sector has seen in years. In this episode, Ben talks openly about what integration actually demands, what's been lost and gained in two becoming one, and what the future of publishing in an AI-mediated world means for the combined business.

S2 Ep1: Mirela Rončević

Dr Mirela Roncevic is not your typical open access advocate. A journalist turned academic, she has spent her career navigating the space between publishers, libraries and the researchers they serve. That vantage point has led her to a provocative conclusion: open access has a content quality problem, and AI is about to make it impossible to ignore. Go to https://deanta.com/trends-in-academic-publishing-2025/ [https://deanta.com/trends-in-academic-publishing-2025/] to download the Trends in Academic Publishing Report that inspired this podcast.

S1 Ep5: Jennifer Regala, Wolters Kluwer Health

Jennifer Regala isn’t a conventional publisher. She is not from an academic background, but is an entrepreneur, networker extraordinaire and celebrated extrovert, dressed in pink. This unconventionality has allowed Jennifer to challenge the many conventions in publishing – leaning on technology to deliver internal efficiencies and create the conditions to focus on innovative ways to build communities around content.  Go to https://deanta.com/trends-in-academic-publishing-2025/ [https://deanta.com/trends-in-academic-publishing-2025/] to download the Trends in Academic Publishing Report that inspired this podcast.

S1 Ep4: Darren Ryan, Deanta

Darren Ryan didn't follow the corporate ladder—he jumped off it. After climbing the ranks at an established publishing vendor, watching the industry race to the bottom through outsourcing, he made a counterintuitive move: and set up his own company. What emerged was Deanta —a two-centre publishing solutions business founded on a faith in culture and technology. In episode four of Deanta's Trends in Academic Publishing podcast, Darren talks about why he cross-trained his staff and encouraged direct customer access over the fragmented task-based model that dominated the industry, how he built a non-hierarchical team 5,000 miles away, and why technology alone will never be the answer. He also reveals his conviction that the publishing industry is about to undergo massive transformation, and why there's only one route of travel: everybody has to become a technology company. To download our free 2025 Trends in Academic Publishing report, got to https://deanta.com/trends-in-academic-publishing-2025/ [https://deanta.com/trends-in-academic-publishing-2025/]  To learn more about Deanta's next level publishing solutions visit www.deanta.com [http://www.deanta.com]

S1 Ep3: Gillian Shasby, Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group

Gillian Shasby didn't make a dramatic career move to reach the top—she rose steadily through the Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group, building systems and efficiencies along the way. Her methodical, process-driven approach has allowed JNS to defy publishing industry gravity: keeping costs flat for a decade while launching new journals and tripling submission volumes.  In this conversation, Gillian discusses the consecutive peer review model that sets JNS apart, why independent journal publishing resists outsourcing, and why AI's impact on research integrity keeps her awake at night. She also reveals how a fully remote team of self-described introverts built genuine culture through song playlists, shared channels, and the occasional in-person gathering. To download the 2025 Trends in Academic Publishing Report we talk about, visit  www.deanta.com/trends-in-academic-publishing-2025/ [http://www.deanta.com/trends-in-academic-publishing-2025/] To learn more about Deanta's next level publishing solutions visit www.deanta.com [http://www.deanta.com]