Ivan Mulcahy

Originally from Dublin and long based in London, Ivan built his first career at Reuters, where he held senior management roles across London, New York, Stockholm, and Dublin. In 2002, driven by a lifelong love of books, he made a radical career change and founded his literary agency.

Ivan is known for shaping bestselling autobiographies and memoirs with leading public figures, as well as subject-led non-fiction by experts with unique perspectives. His authors have published across economics, history, food, fashion, and relationships — books that have reached global audiences and sold in dozens of countries. He has a particular skill in helping new voices break into the market, shaping their ideas and positioning their books for maximum cultural and commercial impact.

Alongside non-fiction, Ivan champions exceptional literary voices, supporting authors to build major prize-winning careers. He values language in service of story — beautiful writing with purpose — and is drawn to fiction that combines strong storytelling with ambition of form. He has a particular affection for Irish writing, and increasingly, for genre fiction such as thrillers and horror that illuminate the human condition in unexpected ways.

In 2024, his contribution to publishing was recognised when he was shortlisted for The Bookseller’s Literary Agent of the Year Award. At ICA, he brings decades of experience and strategic vision to building an agency that is both creatively ambitious and internationally connected.