MAIN NEWS HEADLINES
December 15-31, 2003 Edition Random House UK
Forms New General
Book Division
LONDON/12/3/03Random House UK has created a new Random House General Book Division, following its November acquisition of Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, part of the Ullstein Heyne publishing unit of Axel Springer (SPRGn.DE: ).
The newly-structured Random House Division will comprise the existing general books unit, CHA (Century, Hutchinson, Arrow, etc.) and CCV (Jonathan Cape, Chatto & Windus, Vintage, and other groups). It was not clear where the newly-acquired Wilhelm Heyne Verlag unit would be placed. The unit was purchased by Random House parent, Bertelsmann, and approved last month by German’s cartel office for takeover. Random House UK also plans to expand its range of publishing both through broader title acquisitions and through additional investments.
CHA managing director Richard Cable will head the new division as managing director, reporting to group deputy chairman Simon Master. Susan Sandon becomes publisher of CHA.
The company is also merging its Random House and Transworld sales departments into one unit, to be headed by group sales director Mike Roderick.
