Hodder reveals changes to publicity team

Changes are being made to Hodder, Sceptre and John Murray Press' publicity departments, following the decision of two publicity directors, Karen Geary and Kerry Hood, to reduce their working hours, while Sceptre publishing director Nikki Barrow has taken the decision to leave altogether to set up her own PR agency.

Geary, director of publicity, will be handing over responsibility for running the department to Eleni Lawrence to move to three-day working week with immediate effect. Lawrence who has been with Hodder for 12 years and has recently returned from maternity leave becomes communications director and head of department.

Geary said: “I’ve had the privilege of working with one of the best publicity teams in publishing. It has been a fabulous experience and also great fun and I shall enjoy continuing to work with them but also having the luxury of time to do other things.”

Lucy Hale, Hodder group sales director, added: “We are delighted that Leni has returned to her new role. Over the past 12 years, she has consistently proved herself to be a superb publicist and consummate creator of bestsellers.”

Publicity director Kerry Hood will also be reducing her hours to work three days a week from January 2017. 

Veronique Norton, meanwhile, has been promoted to publicity director, with particular responsibility for Hodder’s Coronet imprint.

Meanwhile Barrow, publicity director for Hodder’s literary imprint Sceptre, will be leaving the company at the end of this year. Barrow joined Hachette in 2003 as John Murray publicity director before moving to Sceptre in 2009. She is now moving out of house to set up Mander Barrow PR, where she will continue to work on several key Sceptre campaigns as well as other arts and culture strands and “to make more hats and to bake splendid cakes”. She can be reached on 07813 806 297.

In April 2017 Ruby Mitchell will move from John Murray Press to take over responsibility for Sceptre publicity.

Hannah Corbett will join the John Murray Press publicity department in January 2017, on a short term part-time contract, to cover communication director Rosie Gailer’s maternity leave. Corbett was previously communications director at Simon & Schuster.