Reagan Arthur returns to Hachette Book Group to launch new boutique imprint

Reagan Arthur is set to rejoin Hachette Book Group (HBG) in the role of senior vice president, publisher in the US but with an additional international role, working with Sceptre and its executive publisher Federico Andornino.

The move was announced on Thursday (11th July) by David Shelley, c.e.o. of HBG and Hachette UK (HUK).

At the centre of Arthur’s cross-divisional role will be a boutique imprint, which she will launch and lead within the Grand Central Publishing group. The new imprint will be broad in scope, publishing literary and commercial authors, with a list of four to six titles per year. It will also collaborate with Sceptre and Andornino to co-publish select titles.

Arthur will also head up HBG and HUK’s Bridges programme, Hachette’s world English-language efforts, and will work closely with Shelley to continue strengthening international publishing collaboration.

Arthur will edit key authors across HBG’s publishing divisions, and report to Shelley starting on the 23rd September 2024.

She joined Little, Brown in 2001 as senior editor, and became senior vice-president publisher in 2013, editing and publishing Tina Fey,  Malcolm Gladwell, Eleanor Catton, David Sedaris and many others.

In early 2020, Arthur left to join Knopf as executive vice-president publisher, where she oversaw the publication of Tess Gunty’s National Book Award-winning novel Rabbit Hutch, Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Jayne Anne Phillips’ Pulitzer Prize winner Night Watch. Authors whom Arthur worked with at Knopf included Ian McEwan, Nathan Hill, Clemence Michallon and Bono.

“I’m so excited to be welcoming Reagan back to Hachette," Shelley said. "She’s one of the legendary editors and publishers, as well as being one of the most fun and collegial people to work with. I know that she will add tremendous value to the company in the years to come in terms of publishing some of our most well-loved authors; introducing new bestsellers to the company at her GCP imprint; and fostering even greater collaboration between Hachette US and UK in her role leading our Bridges programme.”

Arthur added: “I couldn’t be happier to come back to the Hachette colleagues and authors I admire so deeply. And I’m honoured to have the opportunity to launch a new imprint at GCP, where Ben Sevier is such an impressive publisher, and in collaboration with Fede Andornino, whose books have provided me with enormous pleasure.”