Anthony Cheetham is stepping down as ceo of Head of Zeus in January 2014, though he will retain the role of chairman. Replacing him as ceo and publisher is Amanda Ridout, who will join the company on September 4. Ridout was most recently managing director of Phaidon Press, and before then managing director of HarperCollins UK. “I am delighted to join the team at such an exciting time in the company’s development,” Ridout said in a statement. “After just a year in existence they have already got a strong list of authors and I look forward to building on these foundations to establish a new force in independent publishing.” Cheetham added: “Amanda is a big beast in the publishing jungle. She will bring to us a wealth of experience in all aspects of publishing, a keen eye for strategy, and a restless drive to succeed.”
HarperCollins UK will move its offices from Hammersmith to “The Place,” near London Bridge, sometime between summer 2014 and six to 12 months thereafter, the Bookseller reports. News Corp. signed a 30-year lease for the building, which will also house other company properties including the Times and Sunday Times, the TLS, and the Wall Street Journal’s UK offices.
PEN announced shortlists for 10 literary awards; the winners will be named at a ceremony in New York on October 21. Among the generous donors supporting the awards, they listed actor Harrison Ford.
Astoria, Queens is due to pick up another new bookstore: Claire LaPlaca and fiancé Hugh Brammer are opening Enigma Bookstore, which will specialize in sci-fi, fantasy and mystery titles.
Franklin & Siegal Associates has been named literary scout for the Santillana Group for world Spanish for adult and YA (Alfaguara, Suma, Aguilar, Taurus, Alfaguara YA) and Objetiva Portugal.