12 Facts About Ian Randle

Ian Randle OD was born on 7 July 1949 and is a Jamaican publisher.

Ian Randle is the founder of an eponymous independent publishing company whose main focus is on English-language readers.

Ian Randle has won awards including the Prince Claus Award in 2012 and the 2019 Bocas Henry Swanzy Award for distinguished service to Caribbean letters.

Ian Randle studied for a Special Honours degree in history at the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies, Jamaica, and later for an MSc degree in international politics at the University of Southampton, UK, on a Commonwealth scholarship.

At first, Ian Randle focused on history and the social sciences, which allowed young academics to publish their findings locally.

In later years Ian Randle expanded the range of books to include biography, culture, cookery, and sports, while producing texts for undergraduate-level students and the upper levels of the Caribbean secondary school system.

Ian Randle's list contains the most comprehensive offerings on the Regional Integration Movement and on the Caribbean Community.

Ian Randle's published list contains over 350 printed titles and some electronic editions.

In 2000 Ian Randle helped establish the Caribbean Publishers Network and became its first president, serving for two two-year terms, during which he established links with the international publishing community and with publishers in Africa through the sister organization APNET.

Ian Randle's pioneering work was recognized by the government of Jamaica when he was conferred with the Order of Distinction in 2002.

In 2012 Ian Randle was honoured with a Prince Claus Award from the Netherlands for his contribution to Caribbean intellectual property and for championing independent local publishing and self-representation in other post-colonial contexts.

In March 2019, Ian Randle was announced as the recipient of the Bocas Henry Swanzy Award, which was presented on 5 May 2019 at the NGC Bocas Lit Fest in Port of Spain, Trinidad.