Redmond to retire, four roles at 'redundancy risk' in PRH sales restructure

Penguin Random House UK is to restructure its field sales team, with Random House's group field sales director Kevin Redmond retiring after 33 years with the company, and four other roles at risk of redundancy and under consultation.

John Faiers, currently Penguin Group field sales director, is to head up a new combined Penguin Random House field sales team. The team will consist of 13 territory managers: 11 in the regions, selling all titles across the Penguin Random House lists, and two in central London, where Penguin and Random House territories will continue to be handled separately.

Kate Gunning, currently Random House's key accounts manager for independents, will extend her role across the whole company.

Mike Symons, PRH group sales director, said: "Over the last five years, the shape of the book trade has changed enormously, but our commitment to a strong and dedicated field sales team remains unchanged and an integral part of our ongoing sales strategy. This new structure will allow us to remove some duplication, redraw our geographic territories to enable us to make the most of our time with our customers, and work towards a common UK field sales strategy across Penguin Random House.

He added: "Our hallmark standards of excellence in author care and customer service will remain unchanged."

Redmond will retire in September. He joined Transworld in 1981 and in 1994 was promoted to the position of field sales manager, becoming RHG field sales director in 2004.

In a note to staff, Random House group sales director Garry Prior said: "Anyone who has met and worked with Kevin will immediately recognise the qualities that have made him such a success. His natural empathy and sense of humour, commitment, loyalty, enthusiasm, drive and complete professionalism make him a fantastic colleague. But what sets Kevin apart is that he really cares – about the people around him, about our customers, about our authors and their books, and about the reputation and performance of his team.

'It's been my great privilege to have worked closely with Kevin for over 30 years and, like many of you, I am proud to count him as a friend as well as a colleague."

Prior said Redmond would continue to work closely in helping reshape the field sales team during his remaining time with the company.

Last month PRH announced that Random House international sales director Simon Littlewood was leaving the company by mutual agreement after no mutually suitable role could be found for him within the merged company.