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“Our companies are similarly independent and entrepreneurial”

In July 2024, IPG’s CEO Joe Matthews announced a long-term collaboration with German-based international digital distributor and publishing service provider, Bookwire. Joe Matthews comments on why this collaboration is a leap forward for IPG and its publisher clients. 

How do you see the partnership with Bookwire strategically? Is it a big deal for you? 

Joe Matthews: We are excited to use the updated and sophisticated Bookwire OS software to improve the services we offer publishers for digital distribution of ebooks and audiobooks. We are also pleased that this partnership will allow us to offer our digital print services to Bookwire clients. Our companies are similarly independent and entrepreneurial, and I look forward to what we can do together. 
Can you forecast the impact of the new cooperation between IPG and Bookwire on the publishing ecosystem, maybe even indicating some figures?

Joe Matthews: Together, Bookwire and IPG will be a leading ebook and audiobook distributor in the US market. This will help us shape the market, especially for independent publishers. 
What do you expect to change for the publishers working with IPG?

Joe Matthews: I expect our new ebook and audiobook tools and services will be exciting for our publishers, as they will gain access to increased channel opportunities and additional marketing features. 
What are the challenges your clients are currently facing?

Joe Matthews: Inflation has hurt our industry, and independent publishers feel that pain the most. Gaining efficiencies by partnering with Bookwire will allow us to provide excellent digital distribution while focusing on our core business of serving our publishers without the additional labor of maintaining our own platform solution for digital distribution. 
How will IPG and Bookwire support them in tackling these challenges?

Joe Matthews: By rapidly increasing our market share through this partnership and creating new, more efficient workflows, we will increase exposure of our books and enable publishers to use the opportunities of the growing audio market more effectively. 
Are there any additional benefits you see in the cooperation between Bookwire and IPG for your clients?

Joe Matthews: We are sure there will be many additional synergies in our new partnership, and we look forward to exploring those as the relationship between Bookwire and IPG develops. 
About Joe

Joe Matthews started at IPG in 2006 as the Educational Sales Rep, then moved to IT where he spent five years modernizing all of IPG’s internal systems. From there, he served as COO for two years to leverage the technology push. In 2016, Joe moved into the CEO role where he spends equal time building partnerships, streamlining operations, and continuing to propel IPG’s strategic initiatives. 


See also “Who's The Independent Publishers Group? • Portrait Of a Major Player On Behalf Of Publishing Diversity”