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Rowland White is leaving Penguin, where he has worked for more than a decade, to set up a new imprint at Orion.
White, who was at Penguin for 12 years, latterly as non-fiction publishing director of Michael Joseph, will join the group as publisher at the beginning of next year.
The name of the new imprint is being kept under wraps for now, however Orion said it would produce around 12 new titles a year "all intended to combine excellence with commercial appeal". The first title is expected to appear in 2011.
White's new role will mean working at the firm three days a week "to allow him to devote a greater proportion of his time to writing". White is the author of two non-fiction titles: Vulcan 607 and Phoenix Squadron, both published by Transworld.
He said: "I'm relishing the prospect of the move to Orion to work on a smaller, more focused list alongside a talented, confident and enthusiastic new team with an outstanding track record.
"It's a change in direction that will give me a chance to try to build something new and distinctive. And it will allow the relationship between my publishing and writing to continue to be a happy and fruitful one."
Malcolm Edwards, deputy chief executive and Orion's group publisher, added: "I've long been an admirer of Rowland's energetic, imaginative and successful publishing at Michael Joseph, and I'm overjoyed that he has elected to pursue the next phase of his publishing career with us. Being tone deaf, I am even looking forward to his karaoke duets with Jon Wood."