Elsevier's Clark to be new OUP Academic m.d.

Oxford University Press has appointed David Clark, senior vice president for Health and Medical Sciences at Elsevier, to be the new managing director of its Academic division.

Clark replaces Tim Barton, who will leave OUP in September after 25 years.

Clark has been at Elsevier since 1996, when he joined as Social and Behavioural Sciences publisher. He subsequently led three divisions, Physical Sciences, Life Science and Social Science, and finally Health and Medical Sciences. Before joining Elsevier, he worked at H M Treasury and Edward Elgar.

OUP chief executive Nigel Portwood said: "David brings strong insights and experiences to OUP, including the management of complex, technologically-dependent, international businesses, and strategy development for a publishing and information business. He has a deep understanding of the academic publishing sector and a track record of developing and implementing pioneering strategies.

"While we are sorry to see Tim leave after almost a quarter of a century, we are excited to welcome David to OUP. He will be a real asset to the team.”

Clark said he was "delighted to join OUP at this exciting time in the Press’s history", adding: "OUP has great products and people, and a history of leading in scholarly publishing. I look forward to succeeding Tim and to helping the Press take forward its mission.”

OUP's most recent annual report, published in July, showed its Academic division seeing turnover rise 2.4%.

Clark will begin the OUP role in January 2018.