Oliver Gadsby, who launched Rowman & Littlefield International in London in 2013, is stepping back from his executive role with R&L at the end of February, the Lanham, Md.-based company announced Monday. Gadsby also has been responsible for the academic and professional division of R&L, and will remain a director of the U.K. business, Rowman & Littlefield International. In addition, R&L said, Gadsby will “lead a high-profile co-publishing project for the transatlantic group.”
Julie Kirsch, the longtime head of Lexington Books, will assume responsibility for R&L’s academic book division as senior v-p and publisher of Rowman & Littlefield and Lexington Books.
After starting R&LI, Gadsby took full responsibility for its global academic business. “It has been very satisfying to build a new vibrant academic publishing business in London, including a sales and marketing group which has created terrific growth in international sales of both U.S. and U.K. title,” Gadsby said in a statement.
Jed Lyons, president and CEO of R&L, called Gadsby “one of the most talented and creative people I’ve had the pleasure of working with during our company’s 45 years of book publishing. We are grateful for his leadership of the academic publishing team and look forward to continuing our collaboration at RLI in London.”
