James Daunt, Born 1963
BOOKSELLER
Achilles James Daunt (born 18 October 1963) is a British businessman. He is the founder of the Daunt Books chain, and since May 2011 has been managing director of the bookshop chain Waterstones. He is known as "the man who saved Waterstones". In June 2019, he became the CEO of the US bookshop chain Barnes & Noble, acquired by Waterstones' parent, Elliott Advisors (UK) for $683m. James Daunt is the son of the diplomat Sir Timothy Daunt and his wife Patricia Susan Knight. He was educated at Sherborne School, before reading history at Pembroke College, Cambridge University. His first job was as a purser with Carnival Cruise Lines. After working in the US as a banker for JP Morgan, he founded Daunt Books, a chain of six bookshops in London. In May 2011 he was appointed managing director of Waterstones by the company's new owner, the Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut.
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