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Eighteen jobs to go at PRH Australia

Penguin Random House Australia and New Zealand has cut 18 jobs from its Australian offices, affecting staff in senior management, marketing and publicity, publishing, production and sales.

Penguin Random House Asia Pacific deputy CEO Andrew Davis is leaving the company at the end of the year after his position was made redundant. Davis was previously chief operating officer of Random House Australia and New Zealand and later joint MD, and is currently vice-president and treasurer of the Australian Publishers Association (APA).

PRH Asia Pacific digital marketing and publicity director Sally Bateman and HR director Ian Posthumus have also left the company, effective immediately. Bateman joined Penguin in 1998, while Posthumus has been with Penguin Random House for 15 months.

In a statement, CEO Julie Burland said 2015 has been ‘a challenging year’ for the company. ‘We must have a more sustainable and realistic cost base to best enable us to re-invest more in our authors and in publishing their books ever more creatively and successfully,’ said Burland.

Burland thanked Bateman and Posthumus for their ‘substantial contributions’ to the company. ‘They both go with our very best wishes for their future endeavours,’ she said. She added: ‘Many of our colleagues and partners have worked closely with Davis during his 15 years [at Random House and PRH] … We have all benefitted from Andrew’s experience and insight and I am pleased this will continue for the remainder of this year.’

As previously reported by Books+Publishing, Burland was appointed CEO of PRH Australia and New Zealand in November after PRH Asia Pacific CEO Gabrielle Coyne left the company. Burland was previously director of Random House Australia’s children’s division.

 

Category: Local news