Headline Publishing Group is making some major changes resulting in new hires, promotions and layoffs, Hachette UK CEO Tim Hely Hutchinson announced. The company will be publishing less nonfiction and uniting its marketing, digital and design departments.
Jane Morpeth, currently joint deputy managing director, has been promoted to managing director of the Headline Publishing Group. She joins the main board of Hachette UK, reporting to Jamie Hodder-Williams. Hodder-Williams, currently managing director of Hodder & Stoughton, has been promoted to chief executive of both Hodder & Stoughton and Headline, replacing Martin Neild and reporting to Hutchinson. James Horobin, currently U.K. sales & marketing director, has been promoted to U.K. and international sales director, reporting to Morpeth. Marion Donaldson, currently fiction publishing director, has been promoted to director of publishing, also reporting to Morpeth.
Imogen Taylor, currently publishing director at Pan Macmillan, is joining Headline as publishing director. Helen Dance, currently COO at Hodder & Stoughton, has been promoted to COO for both Headline and Hodder & Stoughton, responsible for finance, production, operations and the introduction of new IT and other systems. Jason Bartholomew, currently director of rights at Hodder & Stoughton, has been promoted to director of rights for both Headline and Hodder & Stoughton.
The company is combining its marketing, digital and design departments into what it is calling a Consumer Department, led by a new creative director who has not yet been named. The new department will take an integrated creative approach for all Headline titles and focus on marketing to consumers.
As part of the changes, Headline will substantially reduce its nonfiction publishing program, especially ghostwritten celebrity and sports memoirs. It will continue to publish memoir, adventure, history, business, humor, lifestyle, true crime, and nonfiction written by Headline novelists.
Mostly as a consequence of what it is calling its more selective nonfiction policy, there will be some job cuts. The company said it would try to help affected staff find jobs elsewhere in the Hachette group where possible.
At least one departure is Kerr MacRae, who had been at Headline and Hachette for 25 years, most recently as deputy managing director and COO of Hachette Group. MacRae will join Simon & Schuster UK as executive director on January 13. In his newly created role at S&S, he will be responsible for Simon & Schuster’s paperback publishing under the Pocket imprint. MacRae will report to managing director and CEO Ian S. Chapman.
