Top book publisher to take strategic role as Victoria Barnsley, chief executive of rival HarperCollins, announces her departure
Dame Gail Rebuck has been appointed as chairman of Penguin Random House UK
Dame Gail Rebuck is to crown 23 years running Britain's largest book publisher by taking the role of chairman of the UK arm of the newly-merged Penguin Random House.
On Monday Bertelsmann-owned Random House, publisher of Fifty Shades of Grey, and Pearson-owned Penguin, home to authors including Jamie Oliver and Pippa Middleton, completed a merger to create the world's biggest publisher with control of more than 25% of the global market.
As part of a management restructure Rebuck, one of the most respected figures in British publishing, will step back from the day-to-day running of the UK arm of the business.
Rebuck, who has run Random House UK since 1991, will be replaced by Tom Weldon, the UK chief executive of Penguin, as chief executive of the enlarged UK operation.
In a letter to the publishing giant's 10,000 employees Marcus Dohle, the chairman and chief executive of the group, took pains to point out that Rebuck was not being sidelined.
He said that she will continue to help shape the "strategic direction" of the UK operation and "continue to work closely with authors ... and attract new talent".
She has also been given a seat on the global board of the publisher and continues as country co-ordinator for Bertelsmann UK, which includes assets such as The X Factor maker FremantleMedia and music rights business BMG.
"For several years I have been advocating a strategic merger and to see these two companies both at the top of their game join together is truly an historic moment and I am honoured to be their first UK chair," she said.
Rebuck is not the only top female executive in publishing to make headlines this week with Victoria Barnsley, chief executive of Rupert Murdoch's HarperCollins for 13 years, announcing her shock departure.
Her departure came as parent News Corporation, which mounted an 11th hour bid for Penguin to attempt to thwart Bertelsmann last year, moved much of the UK responsibilities to its head office in New York.
Her departure came a day after News Corp split its publishing arm and TV and film interests into two separate companies.
Bertelsmann, which owns 53% of the newly merged Penguin Random House, has five seats on the board with Pearson holding four.
The company will publish more than 15,000 new titles every year, making £2.6bn in revenues and an operating profit of £346m.
As part of the restructure Penguin's headquarters will move from the UK, which go back to its roots as paperback publisher Allen Lane in 1935, to Random House's home in New York.
John Makinson, chairman and chief executive of the Penguin Group, has been appointed chairman of the new company, alongside Dohle, and has stepped down from the board of Pearson.
Thomas Rabe, the chairman and chief executive of Bertelsmann, pledged investment, although many observers believe that heavy cost and job cuts loom post-merger.
"We can and will invest on a much larger scale than separately in diverse content, author development and support, the publishing talent, the entire spectrum of physical and digital book acquisitions, production, marketing, and distribution, and also in fast-growing markets of the future," he said.
On Monday Bertelsmann-owned Random House, publisher of Fifty Shades of Grey, and Pearson-owned Penguin, home to authors including Jamie Oliver and Pippa Middleton, completed a merger to create the world's biggest publisher with control of more than 25% of the global market.
As part of a management restructure Rebuck, one of the most respected figures in British publishing, will step back from the day-to-day running of the UK arm of the business.
Rebuck, who has run Random House UK since 1991, will be replaced by Tom Weldon, the UK chief executive of Penguin, as chief executive of the enlarged UK operation.
In a letter to the publishing giant's 10,000 employees Marcus Dohle, the chairman and chief executive of the group, took pains to point out that Rebuck was not being sidelined.
He said that she will continue to help shape the "strategic direction" of the UK operation and "continue to work closely with authors ... and attract new talent".
She has also been given a seat on the global board of the publisher and continues as country co-ordinator for Bertelsmann UK, which includes assets such as The X Factor maker FremantleMedia and music rights business BMG.
"For several years I have been advocating a strategic merger and to see these two companies both at the top of their game join together is truly an historic moment and I am honoured to be their first UK chair," she said.
Rebuck is not the only top female executive in publishing to make headlines this week with Victoria Barnsley, chief executive of Rupert Murdoch's HarperCollins for 13 years, announcing her shock departure.
Her departure came as parent News Corporation, which mounted an 11th hour bid for Penguin to attempt to thwart Bertelsmann last year, moved much of the UK responsibilities to its head office in New York.
Her departure came a day after News Corp split its publishing arm and TV and film interests into two separate companies.
Bertelsmann, which owns 53% of the newly merged Penguin Random House, has five seats on the board with Pearson holding four.
The company will publish more than 15,000 new titles every year, making £2.6bn in revenues and an operating profit of £346m.
As part of the restructure Penguin's headquarters will move from the UK, which go back to its roots as paperback publisher Allen Lane in 1935, to Random House's home in New York.
John Makinson, chairman and chief executive of the Penguin Group, has been appointed chairman of the new company, alongside Dohle, and has stepped down from the board of Pearson.
Thomas Rabe, the chairman and chief executive of Bertelsmann, pledged investment, although many observers believe that heavy cost and job cuts loom post-merger.
"We can and will invest on a much larger scale than separately in diverse content, author development and support, the publishing talent, the entire spectrum of physical and digital book acquisitions, production, marketing, and distribution, and also in fast-growing markets of the future," he said.
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