Clive Priddle, the U.K. Fourth Estate editorial director who helped launch the publisher's stateside imprint, has been hired as Public Affairs executive editor. He replaces Paul Golob, who recently left to become editorial director at Times Books. Priddle also worked for Fourth Estate in the U.K.

Public Affairs prides itself on its ability to focus on quality authors while spending less on advances than some larger houses. Commenting on Priddle's skills, Public Affairs spokesperson Gene Taft noted, "We weren't looking for someone whose claim to fame was spending a lot of money on a second book from a bestselling author that's going to flop."