New role for Pan Mac's Lloyd gives her global AI lead position

Pan Macmillan has announced Sara Lloyd’s appointment to the new role of group communications director and global AI lead, working with the relevant c.e.o.s and leadership teams to “spearhead the communication, implementation and embedding of Pan Macmillan’s AI strategy”. 

Lloyd is tasked with creating “an internationally coherent approach across Macmillan’s English speaking trade companies”. She will chair a newly established global trade AI steering group, coordinating the group’s approach to AI safety and ethics, and will develop cross-group principles and policies in line with AI developments. 

The divisional communications directors who reported to Lloyd will now report into their respective business units. Claire Evans, communications director of Pan, will report to Pan publisher Lucy Hale; Emma Bravo, communications director of Picador will report to Picador publisher Mary Mount; Camilla Elworthy, publicity director, will report to Emma Bravo; Katie Roden, communications director of Bluebird, will report to newly arrived publisher Lizzy Gray, and Alison Ruane, communications director of Macmillan Children’s Books, will report to managing director Belinda Ioni Rasmussen.  

Pan Mac said the new structure “makes explicit the partnership between communications expertise and editorial curation, putting the reader at the heart of Pan Macmillan’s publishing processes”.  

Lee Dibble, digital marketing and communications director, will continue to report to Lloyd, and forms “a key part of the communications leadership, ensuring the development of Pan Macmillan’s broader digital expertise and connecting this directly with the publishing” the publisher said. Lloyd will continue to chair the Pan Macmillan communications leadership team and will remain directly responsible for Pan Macmillan’s corporate communications, supported by Lois Bray corporate communications director.  

Joanna Prior, c.e.o. of Pan Macmillan, said she was “delighted” with Lloyd’s appointment. "Over her long career here, she has always been a trailblazer: embracing new formats and technologies and finding ways to embed them in the company and transform the way we work — from e-books to audio to digital marketing. With Generative AI, we know we are facing the biggest change of all to our future working practices and our relationship with technology. Sara will help shape our approach to this revolution, bringing energy and smart thinking to our blend of curiosity and caution, while ensuring that we put our authors, illustrators and our people first at all times." 

Lloyd said she felt “enormously excited” to have been entrusted with the new role. “As part of the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, the impetus to lean into new technologies, innovate and embrace the opportunities they bring comes from the very top and permeates everything we do, as does the strong commitment to take an ethical and mindful approach. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work not only with my wonderful colleagues at Pan Mac UK but also with fantastically talented and forward-thinking colleagues around the group worldwide, some of whom I have worked with over many years, to develop a coordinated, people-centred AI strategy and an innovative action plan which will serve the needs of our authors, illustrators and our colleagues around the world.”