Hachette UK appoints Quercus' Ferguson as head of consumer insight

Bethan Ferguson is leaving Quercus after 10 years to become Hachette UK’s head of consumer insight. She will take up her new role from July.

Ferguson joined Quercus in 2011, and is currently marketing director, working with Elly Griffiths, Peter May, Beth O’Leary, Layla Saad and on the Famous Five for Grown Ups series. Prior to this she was brand manager at Mills & Boon. 

In her new role she will be based at Hachette UK’s headquarters in Carmelite House, London, and report to Doyel Maitra, group communications director, whose role has been expanded to include consumer insight. 

Maitra said: “Understanding consumers is at the heart of Hachette’s mission and we want our new consumer insight team to support our publishers to deepen and diversify their understanding of the market even further and reach more readers as a result.  

“Bethan stood out during a very competitive recruitment process because she approached every question with a unique combination of head and heart. I can’t wait to start working with Bethan, and the team she recruits, to shape the future of consumer insight at Hachette.” 

C.e.o David Shelley added: “I am thrilled that Bethan will be leading our consumer insight team. Bethan has done incredible creative work at Quercus and I know she and her new team will help us get closer to the readers we serve and understand their needs better.”

Ferguson thanked her boss at Quercus, Jon Butler, and the whole team for “a brilliant 10 years, during which I have had the privilege of working on their amazing lists, bursting with talented authors”.

"I am thrilled to be working with Doyel and heading up our new consumer insight team as part of Hachette’s drive to better understand and publish for all consumers and excited about the pivotal role that insight can play in that mission,” she said.