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Senior industry figures have welcomed the appointment, announced yesterday (Thursday 18th May), of David Shelley as the next c.e.o. of Hachette UK, while paying tribute to outgoing c.e.o. Tim Hely Hutchinson's "formidable" record.
Booksellers Association chief executive Tim Godfrey told The Bookseller: "Tim Hely Hutchinson has been a megastar of publishing. What he has managed to achieve at the helm of Hachette UK, in building the company, has been very impressive. He has always done a lot to support booksellers and has a genuine appreciation of them. I'm pleased to see the 'young guard' in David Shelley coming through to lead the company and I hope to see Hachette's support for bookshops continue, I have no doubt it will."
Rogers, Coleridge & White m.d. Peter Straus noted that a lot of people had commented on 41-year-old Shelley's youth in undertaking such a senior role. "I don't see it as about age but about talent and ability," Straus said. "David has a great publishing sense about him, and what's good is that the team under David is very strong and good and they work very well together, it's great to see a new exciting generation rise up. Tim's been formidable, his publishing vision was very sensible, pragmatic, with a big commercial appetite that didn't deviate but held its course. David began as crime assistant at Allison & Busby, he's seen the possibility of a very small company but also the heft of a big one, he brings both [perspectives] to bear and will increase Hachette's strength and market."
Straus also noted the value of Shelley's editorial background. "Everything begins and ends with the authors and books, so someone who has come on the editorial side is not frightened of books and has editorial empathy. You can have it if you haven't come up the editorial route - I think [Vintage m.d.] Richard Cable's got it, for example - but it is good to have."
Peters, Fraser & Dunlop c.e.o. Caroline Michel said of Hely Hutchinson's departure: “For me it’s like someone ripping off my arm. I’ve watched what he has done with Headline and the whole greater Hachette under his leadership and I think he is one of the industry greats.” But she welcomed Shelley's appointment, saying: "What I love about David is he is someone who has got to get a deal done, he is prepared to think and talk in innovative and interesting ways to get it done. And he and the whole team at Hachette, including Jamie [Hodder-Williams], are very like Tim, they carry on his forward thinking for the industry as a whole.”
Among others giving their reactions, Curtis Brown's Jonny Geller said: "We all wish David great luck in his new role. He has big shoes to fill as Tim was such a brilliant c.e.o., but all at Curtis Brown are confident he will continue to cherish the values of author care and publishing great British talent." Agent Sophie Hicks commented: "Tim's retirement feels like the end of an era and he will be greatly missed. We at SHA do a huge amount of business with Hachette both children's and adult, in fiction and non fiction, and have always loved their passion, drive and transparency. David is well liked and well respected and I am in no doubt that he will seamlessly lead Hachette into even greater success."
Lizzy Kremer of David Higham Associates said: “I’m very pleased for David because I like him a lot and I think he has impressed with every role he’s inhabited. He’s forged exceptionally strong relationships, not only with peers and colleagues but also with agents and authors and people across the spectrum of the industry.
“His challenge going forwards will be same as for everyone running a publishing house these days - how to continue to ensure the authors remain at the heart of the business and protect those interests alongside their own. It’s everybody’s challenge but I think he is someone who has indicated he understands that.”