Kobo promotes Swinkels and Anderson to executive vice presidents

Kobo has created two new executive roles to focus on publisher relations and content sales worldwide.

Pieter Swinkels, formerly vice president of publisher relations and merchandising for Kobo's non-English territories, has become executive vice president of publisher relations and content for the e-book company. He will manage Kobo’s global publisher relations team for e-books and magazines and has overall responsibility for publisher relationships, acquisition, publisher operations and Kobo Writing Life - Kobo’s independent publishing business.

Before joining Kobo in 2011, Swinkels worked in the international publishing industry, most recently as publisher and vice director at De Bezige Bij (The Busy Bee) in Amsterdam.

Dave Anderson, formerly vice president of publisher relations and merchandising for English territories, is now executive vice president of content sales. He is responsible for growing revenue and margin of the e-book business worldwide and oversees merchandising, promotions and pricing as well as content analytics. He will work closely with Kobo’s CRM and Big Data teams to optimise the Kobo offering.

Anderson also joined Kobo in 2011. Previously he was a management consultant with Accenture where he focused on retail operations and international market expansion.

Swinkels and Anderson will join newly appointed c.e.o. Michael Tamblyn and the existing executive team: chief marketing officer, Alan MacNevin; chief technology officer, Trevor Hunter; chief strategy officer, Spence Low; executive vice president of supply chain management and customer care, Scott Cleaver; and executive vice president of finance, Dan Budlovsky.

Tamblyn said: “I have had the privilege of working closely with both Pieter and Dave and couldn’t be more excited to see them take on these new roles. Pieter is that rare combination of publisher turned retailer combined with digital native; a tough negotiator but also a great collaborator. Dave has laser focus on helping customers find that next perfect book and using every aspect of technology, customer insight and bookseller’s art to make that happen. Having them in new leadership positions is a great step forward for us.”