My Publishing Journey: InMadrid to Glassboxx
By Ruth Derbyshire, Chief Product Officer at Glassboxx
I was sifting through old paperwork when I came across the article. The blue-domed church on the cover drew my eye, and the bold headline promised an interview with Javier Bardem. Just below that, in smaller type but still on the cover, was a piece about a magazine success story. Mine. The publication was Spain magazine, dated December 2004, and the article featured my experience running InMadrid, the English-language magazine I helped build in Spain.
It started me thinking about my career and I realised just how far I had come, and that, in many ways, I had come full circle. From the early days of print to now working at the forefront of ecommerce for publishers, every step in my career has led me to my current role as Chief Product Officer at Glassboxx.
The Spark: Finding My Feet in Madrid
Fresh out of university, I only knew I wanted to work in publishing. A keen reader, and endlessly curious, I had grown up with the dream of writing for newspapers or interviewing celebrities for glossy magazines. I hadn’t anticipated that I would one day be doing precisely that, just for my own publication.
My first role was in the RIBA library in London. Surrounded by books, I was still unsure of the path ahead. A university friend had recently moved to Madrid, and I decided to follow suit. What started as a stint teaching English quickly turned into something more. One chance conversation at a party introduced me to a like-minded woman who also had a publishing dream. That was the beginning of InMadrid, Madrid’s number one English-language publication and my real education in business, media, and people.
Running a Magazine: Building a Business
Working on that first issue and selling ad space door to door taught me more than any classroom ever could. I quickly learned that business was built on relationships and trust. Long hours spent meeting with advertisers, learning their stories, and understanding what made them tick helped me sharpen the commercial instincts I still rely on today.
Madrid was fertile ground for stories and content. From film premieres to gallery openings and everything in between, I was there, covering events while managing operations and leading a team. Free newspapers took off across global cities, and InMadrid thrived in that wave. It wasn’t just a magazine, it became a community hub, a marketplace, and a cultural guide.
When my business partner returned to the US, I took full responsibility. The challenges were immense, especially balancing the publication with raising a young family, but the lessons were profound. I learned how to lead, adapt, and keep the customer at the centre of everything. Those lessons would shape every role that followed.
Scaling Up: Entering Educational Publishing
When I stepped away from InMadrid, I thought I would take a break. But the publishing world had other ideas. I joined Macmillan Education in Madrid as a Commissioning Editor for Spanish Primary ELT. The pace was intense, but it felt familiar. My background in monthly publishing prepared me well for managing complex educational projects, and I enjoyed collaborating with illustrators, authors, and production teams across two countries.
When I returned to the UK in 2009, I stayed with Macmillan, now based in Oxford. It wasn’t long before I took on a new role at Raintree, Capstone Global Library’s UK division. As Deputy Publishing Director, I broadened my scope, overseeing a trade and education list for markets across the UK, US, Australia, and Canada. It was an exciting time, during which I gained a deep understanding of global publishing and how to tailor products for diverse markets.
A return to Macmillan followed, focusing on Market Development across Western Europe working with amazing cross-functional teams across the region. That role transitioned into Product Management at Taylor & Francis, where I explored the academic and journal side of publishing. Later, leading the international primary list at Oxford University Press gave me a new appreciation for curriculum design and global educational needs.
Where It All Comes Together: Glassboxx
Now, at Glassboxx, everything I have learned has come together. The entrepreneurial, customer-first, fast-moving spirit I had in Madrid is alive and well here. My role as Chief Product Officer allows me to draw on all facets of my career: editorial instinct, commercial insight, product strategy, and team leadership.
I am passionate about understanding what publishers and readers need and how digital innovation can bridge that gap. At Glassboxx, we help publishers reach their customers directly, build better eCommerce experiences, and forge closer connections between content and audience.
Looking Ahead
I set out to be a communicator, and that hasn’t changed. But the tools and platforms have evolved. Glassboxx is a natural next step, a company at the intersection of publishing, technology and customer experience.
Reflecting on my journey, I am grateful for the many colleagues, mentors and teams who have been part of it. Each role taught me something new, added another layer of understanding, and prepared me for what I do now. I am excited for what comes next and proud of how far I have come.
