Independent Publishers Group announces reorganisation of global management team

US-based company Independent Publishers Group (IPG) has announced a reorganisation of its global management team as part of its “commitment to further refine its shared services model”. 

IPG acquired the UK’s United Independent Distributors (UID), which included Marston, Eurospan and Orca, in 2021. The Bookseller has previously reported publishers having to chase payments and paperwork from distributors owned by IPG. Last August, Joe Matthews, c.e.o of IPG, indicated that the disruption was as a result of the execution of the business’ “strategic plan”.  

As part of the reorganisation Scott Hatfill has been given an expanded role as vice-president of international trade sales. He will lead an initiative to establish domestic UK trade accounts, “one of several strategic sales initiatives for 2024” IPG said. In addition to his sales responsibilities, Hatfill will collaborate with IPG’s business development team to open new international distribution channels and sign new publishers to IPG’s portfolio. IPG’s UK head of sales, Michelle Zappa, and the domestic UK sales team will continue to drive academic and professional sales in the UK, Europe, and the rest of the world, excluding the US, through IPG’s Eurospan programme.

Tim McCall has been appointed IPG’s new vice-president of sales, leading IPG’s US sales team “to develop and implement dynamic new sales strategies”. McCall will also manage IPG’s Barnes & Noble account. In a recent communication to publishers, Matthews said: "I am very enthusiastic about bringing an experienced new leader to the business. I hope to see the sales team become more publisher-centric and focused on those customers and special sales that make the most impact for our publishers and the authors they serve." 

IPG’s vice-president of business management, Mark Noble, who served as the company’s vice-president of operations for over a decade, will oversee the department again as part of an expanded interim role. Clark Matthews has been appointed to oversee IPG’s Chicago warehouse and the digital print team while continuing to serve as the vice-president, general manager, of book manufacturing and distribution centre services. 

IPG has promoted Brooke O’Donnell to senior vice-president of international business development, where she will continue to sign publishers to IPG’s Trafalgar Square Publishing and Spanish language programmes. IPG has also promoted Sidney Thompson to business development manager, “where she will track IPG’s pipeline of new business, draft and review contracts and provide a point of contact for IPG’s publishers”.