Caroline Gao

From Stirling to international publishing leadership

Caroline graduated in 2011 but has recently been back to Scotland, as the first guest from China invited as part of Publishing Scotland’s International Fellowship Programme. The Publishing Scotland Fellowship is a prestigious programme and demonstrates the international link forged in Stirling 15 years ago is still very strong.

Currently Caroline is the Director of the Foreign Rights Department at Beijing Xiron Culture Group. Her role includes overseeing copyright acquisition and licensing between Europe, America  and Oceania, and China across books, comics, animation, film and television projects.

Building a foundation in publishing 

After graduating from the Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication in 2009, I joined the University of Stirling to study a Publishing Masters. Returning to China in 2011, I began my publishing career and have since worked across both state-owned and private publishing companies. I've gained experience from proofreading and title acquisition to international rights exchange.

Why Stirling? 

My decision to study at Stirling was influenced by one of my tutors, who was also a graduate of the Masters. The experience broadened my horizons and sparked my interest in the international publishing market.

Stirling's focus on publishing case studies, cost accounting, profit-and-loss calculations and risk management gave me a practical understanding of publishing as a business. It continues to shape my work today. 

A passion for books 

A lifelong love of books and bookstores inspired my career in publishing. Following my studies at Stirling, my improved English proficiency enabled me to work on translated titles, combining my passion for books with language skills. In 2013, I was appointed as a rights editor, marking the beginning of my career in international copyright trading. 

Developing expertise

Over the past 15 years, I have built an extensive network of copyright partners and developed expertise in business communication, negotiation and publishing strategy. Through practical work, my understanding of international rights trading has deepened, my ability to read market demand has become increasingly precise, and I have contributed to a number of bestseller successes.

My career highlights 

Projects I am particularly proud of include:

• Claire McFall’s Ferryman series,
• the Arcane art book produced in collaboration between Riot Games and Xiron,
• the Magic Tree House series,
• Sapiens: A Graphic History, Volume 3, co-published with Yuval Noah Harari and his team.

I have also represented my company at major international book fairs, including the Frankfurt Book Fair. In 2025 I accompanied Wendelin Van Draanen, author of Flipped, during a cultural exchange and book-signing event in Guangzhou.

Success has evolved from finding interesting work and financial stability to creating projects with both industry influence and economic returns.

Advice I would give to publishing students at Stirling

My advice to current students is to approach every assignment seriously, maintain a constant thirst for content, pay close attention to audience interests, and combine original thinking with effective communication and strong business awareness.

Trust the foundation you build at Stirling. It will serve you well throughout your career.