Cristóbal Pera has been named the new publishing director of Vintage Español, Penguin Random House's Spanish-language imprint in New York. He takes over from Jaime de Pablos, who had held the position since 2010.
This is not Pera's first stint with Penguin Random House. Previously, he'd served as editorial director at Random House Mondadori Mexico, where he'd worked with writers ranging from Gabriel Garcia Marquez to Enrique Krauze. He left that position in 2015 and moved to New York, launching The Wylie Agency España, a branch of the The Wiley Agency aimed at attracting Spanish-language authors to the firm.
With his return to PRH, Pera will oversee the launch of several key Spanish-language titles, including a 50th anniversary, illustrated edition of One Hundred Years of Solitude; new editions of the major works of Roberto Bolaño; the latest novel by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, El Laberinto de los Espiritus; and more.
In a prepared statement, Anne Messitte, executive v-p, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, said: "Cristóbal and I have known each other for many years. As we have worked together as editors and as partners in the joint venture between Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial and Vintage Español, I have come to appreciate his savvy, market sense, and creativity. All of these attributes, complemented by his wonderful personality, make him the perfect ambassador for the publishing we do."
