This is our final reminder that after today, the early enrollment savings on our big Publishers Launch BEA conference on Wednesday, May 29 expire and tickets go to full price. The event features a timely and strategic focus on the big issues that matters most right now and going forward: Scale and Consolidation. Top executives from Random House, Hachette Book Group and F+W Media will describe how they are deploying scalable solutions to distribution, publishing systems and e-commerce. Former Macmillan president and now private equity senior advisor Brian Napack will frame how scale has become more important than ever, and provide […]
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Michael Cairns is joining Publishing Technology as chief operating officer of their online solutions division, replacing Louise Russell. His responsibilities include their pub2web hosting platform and the ingentaconnect portal. Most recently Cairns has been a consultant and served as chief revenue office for SharedBook, focused on their Academic Pub platform. Greenhouse Literary Agency has hired Polly Nolan head up the UK side of their business representing children’s and YA authors. Currently associate publishing director, fiction, at Macmillan UK Children’s, she will start her new job on June 3. Amber Morley has joined Chronicle Books as marketing coordinator for their children’s division. […]
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David Fickling will leave Random House Children’s UK after more than 12 years in order to launch his existing children’s imprint, David Fickling Books, as an independent venture in July. Fickling will be chairman of the new company, and author and editor Simon Mason will take on the role of managing director. The venture will continue to be based in its existing Oxford office and plans to publish 25-30 books a year. After a period of transition, DFB backlist titles, including Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and John Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped […]
People: Sontz Takes Over As Powell’s CEO
Powell’s Books longtime chief operating officer Miriam Sontz will take over as the bookseller’s ceo, as Emily Powell relinquishes that title to “step fully into her role as the owner of Powell’s Books, focusing on the stewardship of Powell’s long-term future, health, and vitality.” She wrote in a memo to employees: “In Miriam’s 28 years at Powell’s she has held many roles — from Beaverton store manager to co-CEO. Powell’s owes much of its arc through life to Miriam — to her persistent, loving dedication to Powell’s, to bookselling, and to integrity.” Sontz says, “We are well-positioned to continue efficiencies […]
People: Maja Thomas to Leave HBG After 22 Years
Senior vice president of Hachette Digital & Audio Maja Thomas will leave her full-time position at the company after 22 years with Time Warner and then HBG, “for the next exciting chapter of her career.” As ceo Michael Pietsch notes, Thomas “has been a pioneer in the creation of HBG’s ebook and audiobook businesses. She has brought her vision, leadership, and entrepreneurial drive to the development of these key areas of our company and delivered enormously successful results and growth.” She has led Hachette Audio since 2000, and Hachette Digital since 2005, and “in the past three years Maja has […]
People: A New Chief Editor for OED
Chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary John Simpson will retire in October 2013, a position he has held since 1993–the seventh OED editor since Sir James Murray’s appointment in 1879. Under his leadership, over 60,000 new words and meanings were added to the dictionary. Time has a lengthy interview with Simpson on his tenure. Current editorial project director Michael Proffitt will take over as chief editor on November 1, and principal etymologist Philip Durkin will move up to join Edmund Weiner as deputy chief editor. Chief executive of Oxford University Press Nigel Portwood said: “John Simpson has made a truly outstanding contribution to […]