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Bonnier Books UK announces three executive promotions to strengthen trade publishing

Bonnier Books UK today announces three new executive promotions to strengthen its trade publishing.

Kate Parkin has been promoted to Managing Director of Adult Trade, Bonnier Books UK, with responsibility for the company’s adult trade publishing across eight imprints. Previously Executive Director of Adult Fiction at Bonnier Zaffre, this newly-created role will see Parkin direct the company’s adult trade publishing strategy, building author brands in fiction and non-fiction and seeking new ways to find readers.

Parkin has worked in publishing for over 25 years. She was previously MD of the Cornerstone Division at Random House, and then fiction publisher at Hodder & Stoughton. Authors Parkin has worked with include Amy Tan, Bernard Cornwell, Sir Michael Caine, Sebastian Faulks, Robert Harris, Kathy Reichs, Karin Slaughter, Katie Fforde and John Grisham. At Bonnier Books UK, among many others, she is proud to have published Lynda La Plante, Lisa Hilton, Wilbur Smith, Rory Clements and Harry Sidebottom and, most recently, Heather Morris, whose landmark debut The Tattooist of Auschwitz has been riding high on the bestseller list since January.

Parkin said: “It has been a huge privilege to be part of the Bonnier Zaffre team over the last few years. I’m extremely proud of Zaffre, the adult fiction imprint we have built from scratch, and excited by the opportunity to work more closely with the teams at Blink, John Blake, Lagom and 535. I am looking forward to this next phase of our development as a trade publisher very much.”

Jane Harris has been promoted to Managing Director of Children’s Trade, Bonnier Books UK, and will lead the company’s children’s trade publishing, comprising six imprints across fiction and non-fiction. Previously Executive Director – Children’s Fiction at Bonnier Zaffre, Harris will lead the children’s editorial teams, curating and delivering the company’s children’s publishing strategy, to deliver profit and bestsellers.

Harris has worked in publishing for over twenty five years and has experience working across both adult and children’s publishing programmes, including Unwin Hyman Publishers, HarperCollins Publishers, Walker Books and Quercus where she held board positions. In that time she has worked with numerous talented writers and illustrators including, Michael Morpurgo, Anthony Horowitz, Chris Riddell, PJ Lynch, Garth Nix, Sally Gardner, Emily Lockhart and the Tolkien and CS Lewis Estates.

Harris said: “This is such an exciting opportunity to bring a cohesive and comprehensive new strategy for all the children’s imprints within Bonnier Books UK to the marketplace. I cannot wait to work with the creative teams to enhance our combined author and illustrator publishing programmes for the future. Authors and illustrators are at the heart of our business and our mantra of “every book matters” will be at the centre of everything we do.”

With 15 Sunday Times bestsellers this year so far, our trade publishing is going from strength to strength and I’m confident that it will continue to thrive and evolve under the proven and dedicated leadership of Kate, Jane and James.

-Perminder Mann, CEO, Bonnier Books UK

James Horobin, currently Executive Director – Sales, Marketing and Publicity at Bonnier Zaffre, has been promoted to Group Sales, Marketing and Publicity Director of Trade, Bonnier Books UK, and will oversee UK and international sales, marketing and publicity of the company’s trade titles, across adult and children’s. Horobin will be responsible for building the company’s fiction and non-fiction brands and leading the retailer and consumer strategy across global markets.

Horobin has previously held senior positions at Simon & Schuster UK and Headline Publishing, part of the Hachette Book Group.  Working across fiction, non-fiction and children’s publishing, he’s worked with some of the biggest author brands, including Lynda La Plante, James Patterson, Martina Cole, Philippa Gregory, Victoria Hislop, Santa Montefiore, Hillary Clinton, Bear Grylls and Dork Diaries.

Horobin said: “It’s been such an exciting three years building the Zaffre fiction lists and now I’m thrilled at the prospect of working with the Kings Road teams on the adult non fiction and illustrated children’s imprints.”

Perminder Mann, CEO, Bonnier Books UK said: “With 15 Sunday Times bestsellers this year so far, our trade publishing is going from strength to strength and I’m confident that it will continue to thrive and evolve under the proven and dedicated leadership of Kate, Jane and James. Over the last three years, they have successfully built our fiction division from the ground up and are widely known and respected within the industry. I’m looking forward to working with them to transform Bonnier Books UK into a fully-fledged publisher.”

Parkin, Harris and Horobin will report directly into Mann and will begin their new roles with immediate effect.

Paul Gregory, CEO, Igloo Books Group will continue to lead the company’s mass-market publishing, based in Northampton.

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