Winder promoted to m.d. of Hachette NZ

Mel Winder has been promoted to managing director of Hachette New Zealand, effective immediately.

Winder's promotion to m.d. from sales and marketing director at Hachette New Zealand has been made "in recognition of her strong leadership, the development of Hachette’s business in New Zealand and her contribution to Hachette Australia’s board", according to the company.

Winder has been leading the the business, reporting to Hachette Australia, since 2013 when Hachette restructured its New Zealand business, closing its publishing unit and relocating the finance, administration and IT functions to Australia, with the loss of 15 jobs overall, including that of then m.d. Kevin Chapman.

Winder's career in publishing began with HarperCollins in New Zealand before she headed to London to join Harper’s export department. After this Winder spent five years at Penguin with responsibility for almost all export territories at one time or another. During this period, her team was responsible for selling millions of copies of Harry Potter into Europe and the Middle East. Subsequently, Richard Kitson poached Winder to join Little, Brown as export sales director in 2005. She spent six years at Little, Brown, during which time she became deputy group sales director. In 2011 Winder returned home to take up the role of sales and marketing director for Hachette NZ and, in 2013, she took on the responsibility for running the New Zealand office.

Louise Sherwin-Stark, joint managing director of Hachette Australia and New Zealand, said: "It has been a real pleasure working with Mel over the last few years. Together, we have brought the Australian and New Zealand businesses closer together with great results. Mel encourages the brilliant New Zealand team to curate, promote and sell the mighty Hachette list, and they do so with passion, enthusiasm and some exceptional organisational skills. Her stellar relationships within the New Zealand trade, with our many New Zealand based authors and her comprehensive understanding of the global publishing industry are much valued by everyone at Hachette.”

Winder said: "I am delighted to accept this position and am incredibly proud to lead the Hachette New Zealand team. They are an exceptional group of colleagues who work very hard to do the very best for every book and every author we are privileged to represent.”