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Fiona Allen, head of PR and brand communications at Waterstones, and Jon Howells, the chain's PR and brand communications manager, have both left the business. M.d. James Daunt said their departures were the result of a company decision, because the chain had "substantially changed" since the duo were first employed. From now on, the company's publicity needs will be handled by company members in a less centralised form, he indicated.
Allen and Howells have both worked at Waterstones since 2006, with Allen joining from Penguin and Howells joining following the Waterstones acquisition of Ottakar's, where he had worked since 1989.
Allen came to Waterstones as a member of the management team, with a brief to protect and enhance the chain's reputation in the period of the Ottakar's acquisition and beyond. During her eight years at the company she advised three m.d.s and numerous board directors on industry and PR issues. With Howells, she also created brand-enhancing campaigns including the Waterstones 11, Picture This, What's Your Story and Writer's Year, as well as managing relationships with festivals including Cheltenham, Chalke Valley and Hay, and CSR partnerships with the Children's Reading Fund and the Children's Laureate.
Howells has been a respected spokesperson for the company and the wider book industry in the press and broadcast media. While still at Ottakar's he wrote the first book trade blog, Yossarian's Diary, and he was also a columnist for The Bookseller, as Montgomery Bright, for over five years. He has also chaired the PPC Awards judging panel for the past two years.
Daunt told The Bookseller: “We have become a much simpler business and also a business that is running itself as efficiently as it possibly can. Unfortunately that also means a business which is more streamlined. They [Howells and Allen] were both exceptionally good at their jobs but they were employed in an era when Waterstones was different but we have substantially changed."
He added: “We used to have to defend ourselves to a large degree – we do not do that anymore. I think we have an excellent relationship with the trade press and also the wider press now – things were a lot more complicated a few years ago.”
Daunt has marked himself out as a “hands on” managing director since joining the firm, visiting shops up and down the country personally on a regular basis, for example, and his relations with the press will be dealt with in the same manner.
Allen commented: "I am very sorry to leave Waterstones. When I joined we were in the middle of a protracted and to many unpopular acquisition and through good communications the PR team managed to remind people that Waterstones could be a force for good in this industry. When I told friends and associates what my job was they invariably said that it sounded like the best job in the world and they were right.
"It was made better by the supportive and clever people I worked with, not least the much-loved Mr Jon Howells who turned out not to be the doofus I had him down as but a brilliant publicist, copywriter and ideas man. I will miss him and so many more at Waterstones, and wish you all good fortune."
Howells said he had "many fabulous memories" after "an amazing time in bookselling", adding: "I'm grateful for all the opportunities I've been given to show off (even though it's really not in my nature), and am very proud of the work Fiona and I did together in protecting and enhancing Waterstones reputation over the last eight years - she has been the most incredible person to work for and with. I wish all my friends in bookselling the very best for the future, and I hope to see you all again soon (especially if there's a Simon Le Bon signing)."
Allen and Howells can be contacted via email on fiona.braddock@gmail.com and jmhowells@hotmail.com.