Watterson to join S&S UK as group sales director as Richardson departs after 23 years

Gill Richardson is leaving Simon & Schuster UK after 23 years at the company to spend time closer to her home in North Yorkshire, with Mathew Watterson to succeed her as group sales director.

Watterson is currently UK sales director at Cornerstone, a position he has held for the past five years. Prior to that, he was regional sales director with an international remit across Australia and New Zealand, covering sales operations and business development.

Before embarking on his career in publishing, he was a buyer across adult and children’s titles for Asda. He joined Penguin Random House as a key account manager in 2011 and, after two years, was appointed sales manager, children’s. Richardson will join S&S UK on 9th August.

Ian Chapman, who appointed Watterson, said: “It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Gill Richardson. Gill has contributed significantly to the growth of the company, leading her excellent sales team to deliver outstanding results across UK and international. She has given so much to Simon & Schuster, to our authors and our retailers, for which we are extremely grateful.

“We are delighted to be welcoming Mat to the executive team. Mat has a valuable combination of UK and international expertise, as well as cross-category experience, which makes him uniquely placed to lead the sales strategy for our varied and burgeoning publishing.”

Richardson said: “Having led the amazing Simon & Schuster sales team for the past eight years, I could not be prouder of the results both they and S&S as a whole have achieved in recent years. I wish Mat every success as he takes over the reins and know that S&S and its brilliant authors have a very bright future ahead.”

Watterson commented: “Although sad to leave PRH and Cornerstone, where I’ve had many happy years and learned so much, I’m incredibly excited to join Simon & Schuster UK. They are a publisher I’ve long admired, with great people, a great ethos and a strong drive to grow and achieve. Not only do they publish some of my favourite books in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Skandar and the Unicorn Thief  to name just a few, but have rightly had their brilliant achievements recognised with recent Publisher of the Year and Children’s Publisher of the Year awards. This is an amazing opportunity and I could not be more thrilled.”