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Thomas Webster, former group managing director for Collins, is to join Hachette as chief executive of Hodder Education. He replaces Philip Walters, who previously announced that he would be retiring from the role on 3rd July.
Webster will join Hoddder on 6th July and will report to Tim Hely Hutchinson and also join the main board of Hachette.
Hely Hutchinson said: "He is an outstanding publisher with a first class strategic sense, as he has amply demonstrated in the work he has already done for us as well as OUP and Collins. I am confident he will lead our very successful and distinguished business to new heights in both print and digital publishing, about which he is particularly knowledgeable."
He added that he was "very grateful" to Walters. "He has continued to advise me and support us all and sets the highest of standards. He is leaving his full-time executive role here with a loud chorus of best wishes for his future from his very many friends and admiring colleagues."
Webster said he was "delighted" to join Hachette. "Hodder is a fantastic business and I am looking forward to working with all the highly committed staff at Hodder, as well as its wonderful authors and strong partners, in taking Hodder forward to become an even more successful player in the dynamic and fast changing education and consumer learning markets."
Webster began his publishing career at Oxford University Press working on international sales. He was publishing manager of Middle East projects, before becoming editorial director of trade books in 1986, a job he held for seven years. In 2004 he became the publishing director for trade, reference and dictionary publishing.
In 2001 he became group managing director of Collins, where he remained until 2007. Since then he has worked as a consultant to publishers, software companies, and investors, including working on a number of projects for Hodder Education.