The Bookseller’s Alison Bone reports that Hachette Livre UK is to drop the Hodder Headline name from August, in a raft of changes intended to simplify the publishing group’s structure. The changes will also see Hachette Children’s Books, Headline, Hodder & Stoughton, Hodder Education and John Murray reporting directly to Hachette Livre UK, rather than to Hodder Headline as they currently do.
Hodder Headline’s name dates to 1993 when Headline and Hodder & Stoughton merged. The legal entity Hodder Headline Limited will continue to trade, but with its name changed to HLUK (Euston Road) Limited, a name which will not generally be used in external communications. Hachette stressed that no author, employee or supplier contracts would be affected by the changes, that no job losses are involved, and that the Headline and Hodder publishing businesses would continue to operate separately.
As a result, many internal changes and promotions are in effect. Martin Neild, currently Hodder Headline m.d., becomes CEO of Hodder & Stoughton and John Murray, in addition to his role as m.d. of Headline. Hodder m.d. Jamie Hodder-Williams, who is joining the board of Hachette Livre UK with immediate effect, will continue to report to him, as will John Murray m.d. Roland Philipps, and Headline deputy m.d.s Kerr Macrae and Jane Morpeth. Hachette Livre UK commercial director Richard Kitson is also joining the board with immediate effect.