New roles for Fidler, Higgins and Roscoe in PRH sales, but Christie departs

Ed Christie, UK sales director at Random House, is leaving the company after 28 years, following a shake-up of PRH's UK sales leadership team which has given Naomi Fidler, Martin Higgins and Sarah Roscoe new and broader roles.

Naomi Fidler, previously UK sales director at Penguin, has been appointed deputy group sales director for the UK market across PRH, with responsibility for each of the sales teams representing its adult publishing houses. Fidler has 15 years sales experience within the group and is credited for her expertise in building strong sales teams. Martin Higgins, previously UK adult sales director at Penguin, has been appointed retail director across PRH in the UK market. In this new role he will set the strategic direction of the company's UK sales relationships, ensuring the company works with its retail partners in the best way, the publisher said.

Meanwhile Sarah Roscoe has been appointed Penguin Random House Children’s sales director, expanding her existing remit to cover both UK and international sales. As Penguin Random House Children’s continues to expand, she will represent all markets across the world and work with the international sales team to ensure PRH UK is achieving the fullest international sales potential for its authors and books, the company said.

Fidler, Higgins and Roscoe will report directly to Rob Waddington, group sales director, PRH UK. The international sales team will also continue to report to Waddington.

Christie joined Transworld as marketing assistant in 1989, which then led to a number of other senior sales and marketing roles. In April 2009 he became deputy group UK sales director for the Random House Group, and in 2014 he was appointed UK sales director for Random House at Penguin Random House. Waddington said of Christie that he was "the most trusted, honourable and considerate colleague during his extensive time working across our whole group" and "a constant advocate for all of our publishing".

“From Dan Brown, Bill Bryson, Lee Child and Jilly Cooper to Kate Atkinson, Stephen Hawking, Terry Pratchett and Jacqueline Wilson, Ed has had an indisputably positive impact on the Transworld and Random House Children’s businesses during his time in Ealing as both sales director and marketing director," he added. "In his most recent role as UK sales director for Random House working across Cornerstone, Vintage, Ebury, Transworld and Audio, Ed has continued to be a great ambassador for all of our lists and has brought real creative insight into our publishing as well as leading our sales team. We wish Ed the very best for the future.”

Waddington was made group sales director in January after the resignation of Mike Symons.