Jennifer Sit has been promoted to executive editor at Clarkson Potter.
Helen Garnons-Williams will join Penguin UK as publishing director for Fig Tree early next year. She is currently associate publisher at 4th Estate and William Collins.
Jenna Jankowksi has been promoted to assistant editor at Sourcebooks.
Former chief executive of Sage Paul Walker will take over as chair of Reed Elsevier some time in the first half of 2021, and Sir Anthony Habgood will step down from that role.
Opening Sales
Simon & Schuster says that Bob Woodward’s RAGE sold 600,000 units across all formats in its the first week on sale in the US. A fourth printing has been ordered, which will give them 1.3 million hardcovers in print. (A year ago, Woodward’s FEAR sold 900,000 units on the first day and accrued orders for over 1.1 million units in the first week.)
Distribution
Simon & Schuster will distribute Scout Comics & Entertainment starting October 1.
Remote Work
Recent experiments in London with allowing — or even encouraging — some employees to try a return to working at the office are coming to a quick halt. The government reversed its guidance, asking people to work from home “if they can.” Penguin Random House UK hr director for Val Garside said in a note to staff, “Our first priority is to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of colleagues and, as throughout the pandemic, we will follow the government guidance. This means that unless it is essential for you to attend the workplace to undertake your work, you should work remotely.”