<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p>This article reviews research on the role of the commissioning editor in academic book publishing. It argues that there has been a historic shift from a primarily ‘gatekeeper’ role to a more proactive role in shaping what authors write, driven by the requirements of business strategy, the need to focus more closely on end‐user needs, and, increasingly, by the new challenges of commissioning within a digital environment.</jats:p>