HarperCollins has unceremoniously realigned Ecco and its leadership. Founder of Ecco in 1971 and president and publisher since it joined HarperCollins in 1999 Daniel Halpern “will be transitioning” to editor-at-large “immediately.” Ecco will “be more closely integrated into the Harper Group” with vp and editorial director Helen Atsma overseeing the imprint and reporting to svp and publisher Jonathan Burnham. Halpern will “continue to edit a number of his longstanding authors.” Burnham writes, “Under Dan’s direction, Ecco has grown into one of the most respected imprints in the industry: a byword for literary distinction and editorial integrity.” At Quarto, Polly Powell […]
Personnel
Gendell and Three Others Leave Foundry to Start New Agency, YRG Partners
Yfat Reiss Gendell has left Foundry Literary + Media, which she co-founded, to start a new agency, YRG Partners. Joining her from Foundry are Tanusri Prasanna, Peter Steinberg and Adriann Ranta Zurhellen. Gendell indicates to Deadline “the agency will partner with a series of existing and new private equity firm relationships, each active in intellectual property and consumer brand development, to match-make between clients and the investment community, and to create unconventional opportunities that work alongside or independent of existing publishing models.” YRG will have offices in New York and Los Angeles. Reportedly, Foundry partner Peter McGuigan is also setting up […]
Sargent to Leave Macmillan Over “Disagreements Regarding the Direction,” Weisberg to Take Over
Holtzbrinck announced Thursday morning that longtime ceo of Macmillan John Sargent will leave the company on January 1 “as a result of disagreements regarding the direction of Macmillan.” President of Macmillan US Trade Don Weisberg will take over in 2021 as ceo of Macmillan’s English-language trade publishers, and general manager of Macmillan Learning Susan Winslow will become president of that division. Winslow will report to Macmillan global coo Andrew Weber, who will report to parent company chief executive Stefan von Holtzbrinck on higher education issues, and to Weisberg on trade matters. Holtzbrinck’s German division has reported to Sargent as well. […]
People, Etc.
Longtime Holt executive editor Barbara Jones will leave the company on October 16, “first to dedicate a few weeks to getting out the vote and thereafter to apply her editorial pencil elsewhere.” Editor-in-chief Sarah Crichton wrote to staff, “An active member of Holt’s D&I Council from its early days, and a dear friend as well as a colleague, Barbara will be sorely missed.” The expanding ABA board is adding Black booksellers Jake Cumsky-Whitlock at Solid State Books in Washington, DC and Melanie Knight at Books Inc. in San Francisco, CA immediately. For now they will serve until the next election, […]
People, Etc.
Gisselda Nuñez will join HarperCollins in the new role of vp, diversity, equity, and inclusion on September 21. Nuñez will “lead and advise the company on DE&I initiatives, creating a strategy/vision that aligns with HarperCollins’s values and culture.” She was previously executive director, head of diversity strategy at Morgan Stanley. Amanda Armstrong-Frank has been promoted to the new role of director of workplace culture and diversity initiatives at Simon & Schuster. Armstrong-Frank will “advise, advocate, and act to improve workplace culture, including diverse representation at all levels,” reporting to both Jonathan Karp and the ViacomCBS office of global inclusion under […]
People, Etc.
At St. Martin’s Publishing Group, Monique Patterson has been promoted to the new position of vp, editorial director, acquisition outreach, reporting to Jen Enderlin. In addition to acquiring, Patterson “will now oversee initiatives to aid St. Martin’s Publishing Group in our commitment to increasing the diversity of our list, and in publishing more authors from underrepresented communities.” Cecilia Lyra has been promoted to associate agent at The Rights Factory. Gabrielle Bellot has been promoted to head instructor of classes and staff contributing editor for the magazine at Catapult. The 2020 Rona Jaffe Award winners are: Hannah Bae (nonfiction), Mari Christmas (fiction), […]