Winter to leave the PA for Springer Nature

The Publishers Association’s director of policy and communications, Susie Winter, is leaving the role after three years to join Springer Nature.

Winter has been appointed to the leadership role of director of communications and engagement, research at the scientific publisher - a new position reflecting the priority Springer Nature is placing on building relations with its author and research community.

As part of the new role, Winter will act as an ambassador for communications within Springer Nature, be responsible for building an engagement plan to bring to life Springer Nature’s changing role as a research publisher with a focus on open access, and develop a plan to educate, inform and excite internal and external stakeholders about its role as a progressive publisher.

She will be reporting to Joyce Lorigan, Springer Nature’s EVP for communications and working closely with Steven Inchcoombe, chief publishing officer.

Winter told The Bookseller: “I have had a fantastic three years at the PA, working with amazing people and its wonderful members, but I am looking forward to this new and exciting challenge.”

Her last day at the PA will be 30th June 2017.

The merger for Springer Science+Business Media with the majority of Macmillan Science and Education to form Springer Nature was cleared by the competition authorities in May 2015. The agreement between Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, owner of Macmillan Science and Education, and BC Partners, advisors of funds which own Springer, was announced in January of that year.

Inchcoombe, previously managing director of Nature Research Group, was appointed to the newly created role of chief publishing officer for Springer Nature in March 2016 after the departure of chief scientific officer Annette Thomas earlier that month.