Emsley to replace Malcolm as executive publisher of HarperNonFiction and HarperNorth

Sarah Emsley will join HarperCollins as executive publisher of HarperNonFiction and HarperNorth, succeeding Oli Malcolm. 

Emsley is currently publishing director at Headline and will take up her new role in spring 2023. She will report into managing director Kate Elton, and also join the HarperCollins UK executive committee. The move comes after Malcolm was announced as the new managing director of Hodder & Stoughton. He will leave HarperCollins in spring 2023.  

Emsley joined Headline as deputy publishing director in 2011, taking on the role of publishing director five years later. During her time at Headline she has published numerous bestsellers from authors including Matthew Perry, Bryony Gordon, Matthew McConaughey, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, Sinclair McKay and the Downton Abbey team at Carnival Productions. She previously worked at Transworld and BBC Books. 

Emsley said: “I have loved my 11 years at Headline, and I shall miss my wonderful colleagues and exceptional authors more than I can say, but the opportunity to work with Kate Elton and the HarperNonFiction and HarperNorth teams is simply too good to pass up. HarperNonFiction is rich with talent, publishing expertise and energy, while the team at HarperNorth have already shown themselves to be dynamic, acquisitive and forward-thinking after less than three years together. It’s a real honour to be asked to lead these divisions as they push forward in their next stages of growth. I can’t wait to get started.” 

Elton added: “I’m so thrilled that Sarah has decided to join us at HarperCollins, heading up HarperNonFiction and HarperNorth. She is a brilliant and inspiring publisher who brings with her a wealth of experience, a superb commercial eye and a brilliantly infectious enthusiasm for all things publishing. I’m hugely looking forward to working with her.”