Deborah Wiley will retire from her position as svp, corporate communications of John Wiley & Sons at the end of the year, though she will continue to serve as chairman of the Wiley Foundation. Susan Spilka will succeed her as vp, corporate communications on January 1, 2011. CEO William Pesce, also retiring soon, says in the announcement: “I want to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to Deborah and to acknowledge her many contributions during her 42 years at the Company. She has diligently served Wiley in a wide variety of business, corporate, and governance roles, working her way up from a secretarial position to become a member of the Company’s leadership team. Deborah has left an enduring legacy for the Company that bears her family’s name. As a member of the sixth generation of the Wiley family, her unique perspective and deeply rooted altruism have played an essential part in shaping Wiley’s unique culture.”
Brendan Deneen is re-entering the film business, this time leading the newly-launched Macmillan Films — and continuing as an editor at Thomas Dunne Books. (He worked in development at Scott Rudin Productions, Dimension Films and the Weinstein Company before packaging properties as an agent at Objective Entertainment and then FinePrint Literary, joining Thomas Dunne this January.)
The first project is a production with Summit Entertainment of Julie Cross’s TEMPEST, the first in a trilogy featuring a 19-year old time traveler “who witnesses his girlfriend’s murder just as he jumps back two years.” Deneen tells Deadline.com, “We are mostly looking to develop book ideas that work both as novels and movies and TV shows. We will develop the ideas in-house, and hire writers who’ll share in the success of the projects. We will retain all rights and hopefully set them up.” He adds, “It’s a new way to control intellectual property because in this changing world, he who controls IP wins.” Sylvie Rabineau at RWSG will agent for Macmillan Films.
Deadline
Private-equity group TPG Capital has taken a 35 percent stake in Creative Artists Agency after extensive negotiations. The WSJ says they invested approximately $165 and arranged for another $200 million in financing from Bank of America. Together TPG and CAA are launching a $500 million investment fund as well. TPG co-founder James Coulter and two other firm members will take three of CAA’s 10 board seats.
WSJ
David Bowie posted some details on his book project, BOWIE: Object, that Andrew “I’m not going to sit around reading the bestseller list” Wylie is shopping at Frankfurt. It comprises photos of 100 pieces from the Bowie archive to help fans “understand more about the Bowie creative process and his impact on modern popular music.” It will also “be available in a number of different colors, making the book a striking object in itself.”
Bowie Post
Co-founder of Cody’s Books Pat Cody, 87, died on September 30.
Berkeley Daily Planet
TV writer and producer and bestselling author Stephen J. Cannell, 69, passed away at home last Thursday in
Pasadena last night due to complications associated with melanoma.
LAT
A memorial service has been announced for the late Larry Ashmead, on Tuesday, November 9, 4 to 5:30, at St. Bartholomew’s Church, 325 Park Avenue at 51st Street, in New York. There will be a reception immediately following at the restaurant inside the church.