President of Macmillan Publishers US Jon Yaged has taken over the day-to-day duties of running the company, ceo Don Weisberg told employees today. In May, Weisberg announced that he would step aside as ceo and Yaged would assume the title at the end of the year. Today’s announcement is part of “continuing the CEO transition.” Weisberg indicates he “will continue to be available to everyone for advice or guidance through the end of the year when Jon takes on the CEO title.” In a memo to staff, Yaged detailed a number of personnel changes. Clare O’Rourke is promoted to cfo, […]
Personnel
Metropolitan Books to be Disbanded
Co-founder of Metropolitan Books and current svp, publisher Sara Bershtel and “other staff” at Metropolitan “will be leaving” on October 14, Macmillan confirmed to Publishers Lunch after we learned that the respected imprint would be closed and inquired for details. Longtime Metropolitan editor and associate publisher Riva Hocherman will remain and work for Holt, we were told separately, though she was not mentioned in the brief statement. Holt president and publisher Amy Einhorn “also announced that more information about Metropolitan’s future would be shared soon.” Staff indicated to PL that there has been no news internally yet about reassignment of […]
People: Indigo Promotes Ruis to CEO
Indigo Books president Peter Ruis, who joined the company in early 2021, has been promoted to CEO and joins the company’s board as well. Controlling owner Heather Reisman relinquishes the leadership role and takes the position of executive chair, where she will “continue to drive Indigo’s vision and growth strategy while also remaining deeply involved in the business.” Chief customer and digital officer Andrea Limbardi moves up to president. (Limbardi has been with the company for over 20 years.) The company notes, “The Board and its Human Resources, Compensation and Governance Committee have been involved in the entire succession planning […]
Booktopia Founder Calls for Removal of the Board Members Who Fired Him
Founder of Australian online bookseller Booktopia Tony Nash has called a shareholder meeting to remove board members who fired him as ceo, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Nash, who owns 14 percent of shares, has proposed to remove two non-executive directors from the board, chair Chris Beare and Su-Ming Wong, as well as anyone else appointed since August 17. He also intends to appoint Abigail Cheadle to the board. “Tony Nash Enterprises Pty Ltd proposes to call, and arrange to hold, an extraordinary general meeting of the company for the purpose of considering, and if thought fit, passing the following […]
NYT Names Gilbert Cruz Books Editor
The New York Times announced that Gilbert Cruz will be the new books editor, succeeding Pamela Paul who left for the opinion section in March. Cruz moves over from the culture department. The announcement states that he’ll focus his energy on “three pillars” of coverage: “The first is to reimagine The New York Times Book Review, the nation’s last stand-alone newspaper book-review section, for the digital age. The second is to increase and embolden our reporting on and criticism of ideas and intellectual life, the publishing world and all that lives within it. And the third is to build new […]
“What’s Next?”: Avid Reader Press Diversity Committee Panel
Wednesday evening, the Avid Reader Press Diversity Committee hosted a panel for junior employees and people hoping to break into the industry. The committee was founded in 2020 in the wake of the George Floyd protests, “to better understand and reckon with the lack of diversity and equity in publishing.” Avid Reader assistant editor Amy Guay moderated the panel, which was made up of professionals who have been in the business a while, and could speak to what has helped them grow and made them stay. Alia Almeida (telesales representative at HarperCollins), Shida Carr (deputy director of publicity at Atria), […]