Indian American Nihar Malaviya Assumes Permanent CEO Role at Penguin Random House in New York

After serving as interim CEO since the beginning of this year, Nihar Malaviya assumed permanent CEO role at Penguin Random House in New York earlier this month. The Indian American publishing executive has been a member of Bertelsmann’s Group Management Committee (GMC), a body of top executives that advises the Group’s Executive Board, since his appointment as interim CEO.

Before his Jan. 1 appointment as interim CEO, Malaviya served as president and chief operating officer of Penguin Random House U.S. since 2014. During his tenure in publishing, he has “spearheaded the creation of a variety of industry-first capabilities in data science, supply chain, technology, and consumer insights,” according to the publishing house. “The objective was always to reach the widest possible audience for the company’s authors and their books across multiple formats and platforms,” it added. As leader of the Penguin Random House Global Executive Committee, Malaviya is “focused on elevating the publishing independence and creative autonomy of the company’s imprints and driving the creation of competitive advantages that position the company for growth.”

Malaviya began his career at Bertelsmann in 2001 as a participant in the Bertelsmann Entrepreneurs Program. In 2003, he moved within the group to Random House, taking on a number of leadership positions. He is a two-time recipient of the Bertelsmann Entrepreneur Award for Strategy Execution. He holds an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the NYU Stern School of Business, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Malaviya also serves on the board of directors of the Association of American Publishers and Yale University Press. He resides in New Jersey with his wife and two children.