The Sugar23 Books imprint, first established at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s trade division, will publish newly-acquired titles in partnership with imprints across the Random House division. Crown president David Drake will be the in-house liaison, with Kevin Doughten taking on the expanded dual role of executive editor, Crown, and nonfiction editorial director, Sugar23 Books. Sugar23 ceo Michael Sugar and editorial director of books Angela Ledgerwood will continue to lead the line from their side. Seven books already under contract will be published in 2022 by Harper Collins, as part of their acquisition of HMH’s trade books.
Personnel
Coesfeld to Advance at Bertelsmann; Kelly and Smart Named Co-CEOs at DK
Current DK ceo Carsten Coesfeld continues to move up the ranks at Bertelsmann, leaving the publisher on June 1 to become ceo of Bertelsmann Investments, reporting to Bertelsmann ceo Thomas Rabe. Coesfeld also joins Bertelsmann’s group management committee, which advises and supports the executive board. A grandson of the late Reinhard Mohn, who built Bertelsmann into a media conglomerate, Coesfeld already sits on the Bertelsmann Foundation board, and has been touted in German media as the Mohn family member who “could one day lead the media giant.” Penguin Random House ceo Markus Dohle said in the announcement, “Under Carsten’s tenure, […]
Finance: Bloomsbury to Increase Raises, Pearson Chooses Buyback Over Buyout
Following a successful year, and in response to the rising cost of living, Bloomsbury increased their annual salary increase for employees in all territories to 5 percent. They will also give staff a bonus of up to 6 percent, a program that reportedly began last year. A spokesperson told The Bookseller: “Our staff will share in this success and this year’s review has been conducted considering both the company’s success and the cost of living crisis. We also have an interim September pay review to ensure those staff who joined later in the financial year are included.” Separately, Pearson announced […]
Publishing Has More Open Positions, But Hiring Is a Challenge
Like many other businesses at this stage of the pandemic, book publishing is seeing a tentative return to physical offices accompanied by an unequivocal surge in recruiting and hiring. Statistics and informal reports suggest a variety of factors of work: Catching up from a big lag in hiring in 2020, hiring for new skills and capabilities in the remote work environment, expanding staff due to everything from extraordinary growth to DEI initiatives, and filling roles vacated due to staff resignations. We took a look at our own data from PM’s industry-leading job board and spoke to a number of companies […]
Memorial: Chuck Verrill
A celebration of the life of agent Chuck Verrill, who died on January 9, will be held on Saturday, April 23 at 2 PM at the Center for Fiction in NYC. The public is invited to join Darhansoff & Verrill Literary, the Verrill family, and Chuck’s many friends in honoring his passing.
Office Updates: HBG Sets April Return Dates, Macmillan to Start Pilot, and More
Hachette Book Group ceo Michael Pietsch announced to employees dates they will be expected to return to the office: April 18 in Berkeley, Boulder, Chapel Hill, Nashville, Philadelphia, Portland, Toronto; April 25 in New York and May 2 in Boston and North Adams. In a 6-month pilot program, “HBG will follow a hybrid model, with all fully vaccinated office-based staff members required to work from the office two days per week (with the exception of those whose roles require full-time on-site presence, such as facilities and warehouse colleagues). These in-office days will be fixed, which will help coordinate interactions with the […]