Departure of S&S Australia m.d. Lou Johnson

The m.d of Simon & Schuster Australia, Lou Johnson, is to leave the company after six years to pursue other career opportunities.

S&S will be recruiting a new leader for its Australian arm in due course, although Johnson will stay in her role for “a little while”, Ian Chapman, c.e.o and publishers for S&S UK and International, said in an internal announcement.

“Lou has decided to seek challenges in her career outside of Simon & Schuster, and potentially beyond the traditional publishing environment,” Chapman said.

Johnson joined S&S in 2008 as a sales and marketing director and was promoted to managing director in 2010.  In 2011, she began a local publishing programme. In her time as m.d, responsibility for Simon & Schuster Australia’s corporate management  has shifted from the U.S. to Simon & Schuster UK.

“Lou and her team have handled that transition and all its attendant changes without missing a beat, while maintaining the strong editorial and operational connections with both entities that are necessary when facing the challenges of publishing on the other side of the world,” Chapman said. “Just as importantly, Lou has more than capably led Simon & Schuster Australia through a time of tremendous change both within the business and within the local publishing industry. Always strategically minded and consumer focused, Lou has been quick to identify and exploit new channels and new opportunities as online bookselling and digital publishing have had a greater impact on the Australian marketplace.”

Chapman added that Simon & Schuster Australia remained a “key component of our global publishing efforts,” and he had “every confidence that the team in place will continue to serve our authors with excellence in the Australian marketplace.”