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People, Etc.

March 14, 2016
By Sarah Weinman

Andrew Savikas has left Safari Books Online, where he was ceo for the past 5 years, as the role itself was eliminated “as O’Reilly works to fully integrate Safari with the rest of their operations.” (O’Reilly Media bought out their joint-venture partner Pearson in summer 2014.) Savikas writes, “Tim O’Reilly and I agreed this was the right time for me to step away…. Acquisitions mean that roles change — and in this case, as the Safari CEO role went away, the right choice was for me to go along with it.” Safari Online chief technical officer Liza Daly left the company in early February.

Savikas writes: “O’Reilly’s strategy for integrating Safari is sound, and while I’m admittedly biased, I believe they are incredibly well-positioned to complete their transformation from a ‘publisher’ to an integrated media company that’s fundamentally about helping people learn and changing the world along the way.”

The Digital Reader claims there were “massive layoffs” at Safari without indicating whom they are quoting. Spokesperson Sara Winge tells them the integration began in January and the “restructuring announcements are about aligning O’Reilly’s resources with its strategy, now that O’Reilly and Safari are one company.”

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s chief financial offer Eric Shuman retires from that role today, replaced by Joseph P. Abbott, Jr., who was an investment banker in Morgan Stanley’s Global Media and Communications Group. Shuman will stay on in an advisory capacity until July 1.

London-based scout John McLay will join Fox, as young adult and children’s literary scout, reporting to Fox senior literary consultant Drew Reed. McLay has scouted for children’s book publishers including Gallimard Jeunesse, Ravensburger and Rizzoli.

Managing director of the Abrams & Chronicle Books joint venture in the UK Doug Pocock left his position to “pursue other opportunities.” The company confirmed the departure in a statement to the Bookseller and “thanks Doug for his efforts in helping to grow the enterprise in both the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe and wishes him all the best in his new endeavours.” A search for a replacement is “underway.”

In Spain, Miguel Aguilar takes over as literary director of Taurus, in addition to his responsibility for Debate, reporting to managing director of Alfaguara Pilar Reyes. The two nonfiction lists will maintain their separate identities, with Taurus executive editor Elena Martinez reporting to Aguilar.

It’s promotion week at Hachette Book Group. First up in the announcements schedule is Grand Central: Libby Burton has been promoted to editor, Twelve Books; Lindsey Rose moves up to associate editor and Maddie Caldwell to assistant editor. At the Forever imprint, Megha Parekh has been promoted to editor, reporting to Leah Hultenschmidt, while Madeleine Colavita moves up to associate editor, reporting to Amy Pierpont.

In marketing and publicity, Nick Small has been promoted to associate director of publicity, Grand Central Life & Style, while Joseph Benincase is being promoted to digital marketing manager. Danielle Egnozzi moves up to assistant manager, advertising and promotions, and Tiffany Sanchez is promoted to marketing associate. Finally, Elizabeth Turner has been promoted to art director, while Lisa Honerkamp moves up to assistant art director/senior studio manager.

At Highlights for Children, Betina Cochran has been promoted to director of licensing & special markets for the retail market.

Mariana Ramos has joined the subsidiary rights department at Random House Children’s  as associate manager. Previously she was a sales account manager at Assouline Publishing.

Former Penguin Random House Canada and PRH US editor Paul Taunton has been named books editor at the National Post.

Awards
Finalists were named for the Triangle Awards, honoring the best LGBT fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, to be presented on April 21. The Bill Whitehead Award for Lifetime Achievement will be given to poet and founding chair of the MFA in Creative Writing Program at Antioch University Los Angeles, Eloise Klein Healy.

In the UK, nominees were announced for the £30,000 Wellcome Book Prize, to be presented April 25.

Filed Under: Free, Personnel

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