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Biles joins History Press

03.07.08 Alison Flood

Stuart Biles, the former director of BBC Books, has joined The History Press in the newly created position of chief operating officer.

THP, which was formed from the ashes of Alan Sutton’s NPI Media Group, has recently undergone a restructure with around 20 redundancies in editorial.

Home Alison Flood The History Press THP Stuart Biles

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By CCCCCCCCCCC

Surely this is old news - THP inherited a COO from NPI who they quietly made redundant without telling him they'd done it. The real news is that the Sales Director has resigned and been replaced by Mr Biles

03 Jul 08 11:17

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By Retired Publisher

And who gives a flying fig ??

03 Jul 08 13:15

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By WHAT A MESS

Anonymous, malicious posts, will be deleted!
Thanks - PJ

04 Jul 08 12:38

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By THE PRESS

Edited, 7th July
The industry rumour has it that THP are in deep financial troubles and they are desperate to offload some of their imprints.

04 Jul 08 13:32

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By 10 am

Over the past few months we have conducted an exhaustive analysis of the best way to distribute our books in the future. I can announce today that we have decided to appoint Marston Book Services, a professional distribution company based in Didcot, to provide specialist support, including credit control and customer services. Marston already support the commercial activities of some seventy publishers from the UK and overseas. We will be consulting our staff fully over the next month and doing everything we can to make the transition as smooth and efficient as possible. I'd like to thank everyone in the teams affected for their professional approach to the change and their continuing hard work. The date for completion of the transition is currently planned for the first week of September. I will send you further information to keep you fully updated as the process evolves. Tony Morris

12 Jul 08 18:05

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By more redundancies?

The above clearly demonstrates that THP are facing serious financial problems. Obviously, the plan is to make all their distribution and sales people redundant as the company is reputed to be struggling to pay suppliers on top of the massive salary bills of the c.e.o. and other directors. They have already sacked most of their commissioning editors so most of their authors are up for grabs! It will be unrealistic to expect that any self-respecting author will publish with them ever...

12 Jul 08 18:13

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By unbelievable

It is ludicrous to expect that Stuart Biles' appointment will make any difference to a company which has been going downhill for the last 6 months. In times when even banks go pop, the only means of survival THP have to hand is their investors' money. Without them one may suspect they could well be trading insolvently (again!)

12 Jul 08 18:23

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By wise?

Is it wise to [lose] your Sales Director in times when all retailers are struggling anyway??? Apart from Amazon and their rather confusing website, THP books are nowhere to be seen...
Edited, 16th July.

12 Jul 08 18:26

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By books

Their books are in every single remainder shop at 1-2 quid a copy - that says enough?! Even if I see their books in Waterstones I wouldn't fork out 12 pounds when I know that the remainder's round the corner would sell the same book for £2.

12 Jul 08 18:31

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By CCCCCCCCCCC

More interesting news from the 'soon-to-be-History Press'. Change all your fixed costs for variable ones, reduce stock levels of all your good books to nil, make more redundancies, and then move distribution at the start of the busiest time of year in the British booktrade. Another clever move from these so-called experts. It would be interesting to see how many UK staff The Hysterical Press have left, what with those who've left voluntarily and by being made redundant, and, of course, this next swathe of cuts. It doesn't instill confidence in what was once a good business.

14 Jul 08 09:42

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By CCCCCCCCCCC

Interesting financial reading from http://www.growthbusiness.co.uk/news/319386/octopus-backs-hydrobolt-mbo.thtml. Obviously Octopus are wising up to the new opportunities. However, they have made some outrageous choices as far as MBOs are concerned. An example from the last 6 months is the MBO at The History Press, where Octopus PE lost some of the value of their initial investment and restructured the then NPI Media Group into The History Press under new management. The general opinion of the publishing industry and the private investors watching the developments is that this attempt was unsuccessful and Octopus PE should look for exit pretty well now. and In May 2008, a further investment of ... £81,173 into The History Press Limited to provide working capital. Judge us by our Results - discuss!

14 Jul 08 11:03

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By Byron

And to add to their woes THP has failed to keep best selling lines reprinted - surely a simple supply and demand exercise - with the result that retailers are in the front line of having to explain to cutomers over many weeks that they are not being supplied with new stock.

17 Jul 08 08:52

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By Ha Ha Ha

Well Byron, that says enough - if they don't have new books out. Let me guess, perhaps they do not have enough cash (or working capital) to manufacture the books, or maybe they have screwed too many printers and suppliers in the UK and nobody wants do work for them anymore.

22 Jul 08 13:41

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