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Shelley to lead Hachette in UK and US

Hachette Book Group (HBG) in the US and Hachette UK (HUK) will be reorganised under ‘a new English-language management structure’ that will see HUK CEO David Shelley take on the CEO role for both HBG and HUK, reports Publishers Weekly (PW).

Shelley will report to Hachette Livre deputy CEO Stéphanie Ferra and Hachette Livre chair and CEO Arnaud Lagardère. HBG CEO Michael Pietsch will retire but has been named chair, while HUK deputy CEO Richard Kitson will also take on the role of HBG deputy CEO. The changes will be effective from 1 January.

‘Thanks to this new structure at the helm of our publishing activities in the US and UK, Hachette Livre will be ideally positioned to pursue its ambitions to be a global leader by bringing business closer together and unlocking new opportunities for growth in those strategic markets,’ Arnaud Lagardère said in a statement. ‘The success that David Shelley has built at Hachette UK is both inspiring and impressive, and he is the best person to create a strong and unified English language publishing team.’

The changes come a week after Arnaud Lagardère was appointed chair and CEO of Hachette Livre, while PW also reports that Vivendi’s acquisition of Lagardère is expected to be completed ‘very soon’.

In a statement, Hachette Australia New Zealand (ANZ) welcomed the news that Shelley and Kitson will be expanding their roles.

‘Richard Kitson will remain chair for Hachette ANZ and we look forward to continuing to work with him in his expanded capacity,’ Hachette ANZ said. ‘All the team in ANZ wish David and Richard a hearty congratulations, and a bon voyage to Michael Pietsch who steps down as HBG CEO at the end of this year.’

 

Category: International news