Ammer Named to Global Post at Random
by Jim Millliot -- Publishers Weekly, 10/6/2003
Looking to maximize the publishing opportunities for all Random House titles around the world, the company has named Bonnie Ammer to the newly created position of executive v-p, publisher at large, Random House Worldwide. In announcing the appointment, Random House Inc. chairman Peter Olson called the expansion of the company's global publishing "an immediate and long-term business growth imperative." Ammer, who will give up her positions as president and publisher of Fodor's Travel Publications and president of the Random information group, will report to Olson.
Ammer's mandate is "to identify and to develop worldwide
publishing opportunities in conjunction with Random House publishers and their
editors in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, South Africa,
Germany, Spain, Latin America and Japan," Olson wrote in a company memo. While Ammer will help shape an international acquisition strategy, Random's publishers will retain autonomy in deciding which books to publish. Ammer will act in a "collaborative and complementary" function to the company's publishers, said spokesperson Stuart Applebaum.
Ammer told PW that she intends to "help build bridges" across Random and its sister Bertelsmann companies, adding that she is eager to help extend the worldwide reach of Random's titles. She said she considers herself "a resource that publishers can use to establish their goals." Ammer will begin her new job at the Frankfurt Book Fair, where she plans to meet with all the company's publishers.
In addition to working with the different Random publishing operations, Ammer will be the "go-to executive" within the company to work with other Bertelsmann companies to create new titles as well as to promote existing books.
Ammer's responsibilities at Fodor's and the information group will be assumed by David Naggar. All publishers and division executives who reported to Ammer will now report to Naggar, who will continue as president for Random House Audio and the diversified publishing group.
