Founder of Roaring Brook Press, and svp and publishing director of that imprint along with FSG Children’s and First Second Simon Boughton is leaving Macmillan Children’s after 13 years with the company. President and publisher of Putnam Children’s Jennifer Besser will take over the same position at Macmillan Children’s on October 30.
President of Deseret Book Jeff Simpson was named to the additional position of president and publisher of the Deseret News as well.
At Simon & Schuster Children’s, Vanessa DeJesus will join as associate publicist starting September 25. She was most recently assistant manager of author events for Macmillan. Aubrey Churchward has been promoted to publicist.
Kelsey Curtis has joined DK as publicist. Previously she was account executive for Zeno Group.
Penguin Random House UK will close their PRH Enterprises unit, the Bookseller reports, and director Jo Edwards will leave the company at the end of September. Group director for consumer and digital development Hannah Telfer wrote to staff, “Despite several successful ventures we have not been able to build Penguin Random House Enterprises into a commercially sustainable business. I have therefore made the difficult decision to close Penguin Random House Enterprises and focus on Penguin Live and the Penguin Shop.” The unit had also been pursuing partnerships for the company’s authors and brands, including licensing and merchandising, TV, and online writing courses.