Press Release:Breaking News Penguin Random House UK Creates New Children's Division
Penguin Random House UK Creates New Children’s Division
Francesca Dow Appointed MD Penguin Random House UK Children’s
Philippa Dickinson to be Consultant Children’s Publisher
Penguin Random House UK today announced it is creating one children’s division to bring together
some of the very best talent in children’s publishing.
Francesca Dow, currently MD Penguin Children’s, is appointed MD of Penguin Random House UK
Children’s with responsibility for all publishing from Penguin Children’s and Random House
Children’s Publishers. She will report to Tom Weldon, CEO, Penguin Random House UK.
Philippa Dickinson, currently MD of Random House Children's Publishers, takes on the new role of
Consultant Children's Publisher with specific editorial responsibility for key projects and authors.
She plans to fulfil her long held desire to retire in 2015.
Announcing the news today, Tom Weldon said the creation of Penguin Random House UK Children’s
would deliver a brilliant and dynamic division capable of capturing the attention of the readers of
tomorrow.
He said: “We passionately believe in children’s publishing and plan to invest significantly in this area
over the next few years. We are determined to capture the readers of tomorrow. We believe that
having one really brilliant and dynamic children’s division will allow us to compete even more
effectively on behalf of all our authors, illustrators and licensing partners for the attention of young
readers in an environment which now offers them an unlimited choice of entertainment and
information.”
He added: “I feel very fortunate that we will continue to benefit from Philippa’s incredible publishing
prowess, passion and commitment over the next 14 months. During the last 28 years, she has led
first Transworld Children’s and then RHCP to great success. She and her team work with authors of
enduring quality - such as Jacqueline Wilson, Terry Pratchett, Malorie Blackman, and Shirley Hughes
- and then publish them successfully over a long period of time. They are also proud to be the
publishers of five of the eight children’s laureates. They have great success with modern crossover
classics such as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Book Thief, The Boy in The
Striped Pyjamas and Wonder and they foster new talent such as McFly’s Tom Fletcher and Dougie
Poynter’s The Dinosaur that Pooped a Planet and Simon Mayo’s Itch series. “
And he congratulated Francesca on her new role as MD Penguin Random House UK Children’s He said: “I am very excited that we will have Francesca as the MD of our new children’s division. In
just three years Francesca has transformed children’s publishing at Penguin, growing sales by 20%,
championing new talent and creating huge bestsellers like Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series
and John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars, reinventing classics for tomorrow through highly innovative
publishing and marketing of much loved brands from Eric Carle to Roald Dahl, broadening Penguin’s
portfolio to include new licensing properties such as Peppa Pig and Skylanders, and making bold and
ambitious IP investments from acquiring all rights to The Snowman to creating new animation for
Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit.
“I look forward to our new division being a brilliant and vibrant children’s publisher. This is such an
important part of our business and through it we are literally investing in our future.”
Philippa Dickinson said: “Before the Penguin Random House merger, I had been discussing
succession plans to help me fulfil my desire to retire in 2015, so I am delighted to now be welcoming
Francesca into her new role with the creation of the new children’s division. Combining the teams’
complementary strengths will create a vibrant future, rich with opportunities for our authors and
our readers. I am looking forward to playing a part in the future success of children's publishing at
Penguin Random House."
Francesca Dow said: "What a privilege and opportunity this is for us all: to play to the riches and
strengths of both these amazing businesses. And for me especially, as MD of the new Penguin
Random House Children's division, publishing the world's favourite and most successful authors and
brands. I look forward enormously to working with Philippa and bringing our talented teams
together to build this fantastic creative powerhouse.
“Our audience - the children - and our authors and creative talent will remain where they've always
been, at the heart of what we do. We will take risks on talent and invest in children's IP, both classic
and new, as we continue our evolution into the first, best and newest kind of children's publisher.”
Francesca Dow Appointed MD Penguin Random House UK Children’s
Philippa Dickinson to be Consultant Children’s Publisher
Penguin Random House UK today announced it is creating one children’s division to bring together
some of the very best talent in children’s publishing.
Francesca Dow, currently MD Penguin Children’s, is appointed MD of Penguin Random House UK
Children’s with responsibility for all publishing from Penguin Children’s and Random House
Children’s Publishers. She will report to Tom Weldon, CEO, Penguin Random House UK.
Philippa Dickinson, currently MD of Random House Children's Publishers, takes on the new role of
Consultant Children's Publisher with specific editorial responsibility for key projects and authors.
She plans to fulfil her long held desire to retire in 2015.
Announcing the news today, Tom Weldon said the creation of Penguin Random House UK Children’s
would deliver a brilliant and dynamic division capable of capturing the attention of the readers of
tomorrow.
He said: “We passionately believe in children’s publishing and plan to invest significantly in this area
over the next few years. We are determined to capture the readers of tomorrow. We believe that
having one really brilliant and dynamic children’s division will allow us to compete even more
effectively on behalf of all our authors, illustrators and licensing partners for the attention of young
readers in an environment which now offers them an unlimited choice of entertainment and
information.”
He added: “I feel very fortunate that we will continue to benefit from Philippa’s incredible publishing
prowess, passion and commitment over the next 14 months. During the last 28 years, she has led
first Transworld Children’s and then RHCP to great success. She and her team work with authors of
enduring quality - such as Jacqueline Wilson, Terry Pratchett, Malorie Blackman, and Shirley Hughes
- and then publish them successfully over a long period of time. They are also proud to be the
publishers of five of the eight children’s laureates. They have great success with modern crossover
classics such as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Book Thief, The Boy in The
Striped Pyjamas and Wonder and they foster new talent such as McFly’s Tom Fletcher and Dougie
Poynter’s The Dinosaur that Pooped a Planet and Simon Mayo’s Itch series. “
And he congratulated Francesca on her new role as MD Penguin Random House UK Children’s He said: “I am very excited that we will have Francesca as the MD of our new children’s division. In
just three years Francesca has transformed children’s publishing at Penguin, growing sales by 20%,
championing new talent and creating huge bestsellers like Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series
and John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars, reinventing classics for tomorrow through highly innovative
publishing and marketing of much loved brands from Eric Carle to Roald Dahl, broadening Penguin’s
portfolio to include new licensing properties such as Peppa Pig and Skylanders, and making bold and
ambitious IP investments from acquiring all rights to The Snowman to creating new animation for
Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit.
“I look forward to our new division being a brilliant and vibrant children’s publisher. This is such an
important part of our business and through it we are literally investing in our future.”
Philippa Dickinson said: “Before the Penguin Random House merger, I had been discussing
succession plans to help me fulfil my desire to retire in 2015, so I am delighted to now be welcoming
Francesca into her new role with the creation of the new children’s division. Combining the teams’
complementary strengths will create a vibrant future, rich with opportunities for our authors and
our readers. I am looking forward to playing a part in the future success of children's publishing at
Penguin Random House."
Francesca Dow said: "What a privilege and opportunity this is for us all: to play to the riches and
strengths of both these amazing businesses. And for me especially, as MD of the new Penguin
Random House Children's division, publishing the world's favourite and most successful authors and
brands. I look forward enormously to working with Philippa and bringing our talented teams
together to build this fantastic creative powerhouse.
“Our audience - the children - and our authors and creative talent will remain where they've always
been, at the heart of what we do. We will take risks on talent and invest in children's IP, both classic
and new, as we continue our evolution into the first, best and newest kind of children's publisher.”
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