Bonnier Books UK promotes Wicks and Burns

Bonnier Books UK has promoted Helen Wicks to executive director for children’s trade and Elise Burns to group sales, marketing and PR director. 

Both promotions are effective immediately, and both individuals will continue reporting into Perminder Mann, c.e.o. of Bonnier Books UK.

Wicks (pictured below left) was most recently executive director for Studio Press, licensing and business development, and has been credited with playing an important role in assisting the rapid growth of Bonnier Books UK over the past eight years. Other roles she has had during that time include creative director for Templar, Weldon Owen and Studio Press (which she co-founded alongside Mann and Jonathan Perdoni in 2015) and publisher for Autumn Publishing. Wicks also leads on the company’s publishing partnership with Disney, alongside Igloo Books c.e.o. Paul Gregory. In her newly expanded role, all children’s trade and Studio Press teams will report into Wicks. Her appointment follows the departure of children's trade m.d. Jane Harris earlier this summer.

Burns (pictured below right), most recently UK and export sales director, joined Bonnier Books UK in late 2019 following her time at Bloomsbury as UK sales director. In her new role, all trade marketing and PR teams will report into Burns, in addition to the trade and international sales teams.

Mann said: “Both Helen and Elise have made invaluable contributions to Bonnier Books UK. I have worked with Helen for the past eight years, and in that time she has been instrumental in our achievements as a team and has brought great success to every position she has held. Helen’s knowledge and can-do attitude with speed to market projects are invaluable, and her unique balance of commercial and creative acumen make her an innovative and rare business person. While Elise has been with us for just under a year – her impact has been immediate and impressive, and I feel extremely fortunate to have someone of Elise’s calibre and expertise on board. I’m delighted to see both Helen and Elise’s remits expand as we continue our focus on sustainable growth at Bonnier Books UK.”

The promotions closely follow the news that Pete Selby joined as publishing director for Bonnier Books UK’s new music imprint.