Simon & Schuster has announced a reorganization of their adult imprints that puts Free Press alongside the S&S adult trade line in a new Simon & Schuster Publishing Group under Jonathan Karp, and puts Touchstone Books inside a new Scribner Publishing Group, with Stacy Creamer reporting to Susan Moldow. Free Press publisher Martha Levin and editorial Dominick Anfuso are both leaving the company as a result, on November 2. Levin has led Free Press since 2001 and Anfuso has been with the line since 2000 (and has spent 25 years at Simon & Schuster).
The Christian imprint Howard Books moves from Touchstone to the Atria Publishing Group, with publisher Jonathan Merkh now reporting to Judith Curr. The Gallery Publishing Group, still under Louise Burke, comprises the fourth adult “publishing group.” CEO Carolyn Reidy says in her memo the new alignment “will lead to a sharper editorial focus for our imprints even as it takes consideration of the natural affinities among them.”
Karp, Muldow, Curr and Burke all take the new title of president and publisher of their respective groups. Similarly, Jon Anderson has been promoted to president and publisher of the Children’s Publishing division, and Chris Lynch has been promoted to president and publisher of S&S Audio.
Separately, Harper UK has also announced a reorganization that consolidates portions of their business. Group publisher Belinda Budge made the “decision to leave the business,” ceo Victoria Barnsley writes in an account reported by the Bookseller, and her position will be eliminated. Carole Tonkinson, Kate Elton, and Ann-Janine Murtargh will now report directly to Barnsley.
Collins Education and Collins language will be put together in a new Collins Learning group, run by current education managing director Colin Hughes. MD of Collins Language Rob Scriven will leave the company at the end of the year.
Nick Perrett has been hired for the new position of group strategy and digital director. He was evp of corporate development at Jagex, which owns the online game Runescape. Group managing director Simon Johnson tells The Bookseller, “I’ve been looking for almost a year to find someone for this role, looking for the person who combined digital experience with that strategic edge.” He adds, “Nick has that entrepreneurial spirit, and will be a disruptor.”