Hachette Book Group announces major executive leadership changes

Hachette Book Group (HBG) has announced a series of major leadership changes and executive appointments. Effective January 1, 2027, Ben Sevier will transition to CEO of HBG, while Richard Kitson will become President and Chief Operating Officer for Global English Language at Hachette. David Shelley will move into the role of Executive Chair of Hachette UK and HBG, also serving as a global advisor to the CEO and Deputy CEO of Hachette Livre.

In addition to these shifts, Christine Ball will join the company in November as President and Publisher of Grand Central Publishing, succeeding Sevier. Emily Meehan is set to be promoted to President and Publisher of Union Square and Co. in January 2027. Michael Goldsmith has also been named Vice President and Executive Director of Publicity at Little, Brown and Company, a role he will begin on October 13.

Furthermore, Sally Kim, President and Publisher of Little, Brown and Company, will expand her responsibilities to include the establishment of a new HBG publishing program in Canada to support Canadian writers. These moves follow a period of growth for HBG, which recently became the third-largest trade publisher in the United States.