PRH field sales director Faiers retires, Dougall steps up

PRH UK field sales director John Faiers is retiring after a 33-year publishing career, while Elspeth Dougall will step up to a new role following his departure.

Starting at DK in 1999, Faiers' achievements included the successful post-merger integration of the Penguin and Random House field sales teams into the current PRH field team.

Faiers, who retires at the end of June, said: “I realised when I got my first role as a rep that publishing was an industry that I really wanted to make my career in, and I consider myself extremely fortunate to have spent the last 33 years doing just that, especially in the last 21 years working at Penguin Random House. I have met some fantastic authors, worked with extremely talented people, made life-long friends, read some great books and, for the most part, had a lot of fun doing it”.

Naomi Fidler, deputy group sales director, said: “John has been a great colleague to many of us over the years, managing our field sales team through many changes and always acting as the best possible ambassador for our business. He has wonderful relationships with our customers throughout the UK and I know he will be missed by many. He has been a great champion of our authors and our books, and we shall miss his calming presence which has been never more evident than in the unprecedented past eight weeks.”

Fidler has also announced that Dougall – currently head of sales for UK wholesale – will become head of sales for independents and wholesalers. She will take up her new role on 1st July.

Having previously worked as both a bookseller and in field sales, she joined Transworld in 2010, where she helped grow brand authors such as Lee Child and Kate Atkinson, as well as being part of the team that launched Rachel Joyce and The Girl on the Train. 

Dougall pictured right said: “I’m delighted to be joining our field sales team and particularly excited to be working with independent bookshops again. The role these businesses play in reaching readers and the wider community has never been more critical or more challenging. I look forward to learning how we can work together creatively to support them across Penguin Random House in the coming months."

Fidler added: “I’m delighted to announce that Elspeth will also be taking on responsibility for our independent booksellers, having developed a fantastic relationship with these partners over the past few years. She has always taken the time and care to understand our Independents’ needs and requirements and how we can best support them, and this will be more important than ever given the current circumstances.”