Emma Coode to leave HarperCollins

Voyager editorial director Emma Coode is to leave the publisher after close to 20 years, "to spend more time with her family and explore new ventures".

Coode joined HarperCollins in October 1998 as Voyager editorial assistant, and worked her way up to senior posts including publishing director and most recently editorial director for the imprint.

Kate Elton, executive publisher of fiction and non-fiction, said: “Emma has an unparalleled knowledge of and passion for the fantasy genre, and a fantastic gut instinct for finding the most exciting new and emerging voices, having worked with the Voyager team on major global authors such as Raymond Feist, Robin Hobb and global mega-brand George RR Martin. She will be much missed and we wish her the best of luck with her future endeavours.”

Coode, who has a young daughter, said: “Excited as I am to be embarking on new adventures with my small sidekick, it also feels a bit like leaving home again. Working on the Voyager list with Jane [Johnson] and Natasha [Bardon], and the many other fabulous people who have made up the team over the years has been a privilege and a delight. I feel very lucky to have been able to make a career out of a passion for the last 18 years, and in that time to have had the opportunity to meet and learn from some of the most talented and creative people in the industry. I wish the current team great success for the future and will continue to follow the triumphs of Voyager's authors and support them in any way I can.”