Penguin Random House Canada has announced that it is splitting the Knopf Random House Canada publishing group into two different imprints: Knopf Canada and Random House Canada. Each imprint will operate independently. The change will be effective as of January 2021, at which point the company will have seven divisions: Doubleday Canada, Penguin Canada, McClelland & Stewart, Young Readers, Appetite, Knopf Canada, and Random House Canada.
Key personnel will shift into new roles. Anne Collins, currently publisher of Knopf Random House Canada will take the role of Executive Editor and Vice President, Random House Canada. Martha Kanya-Forstner, currently v-p of Penguin Random House Canada, adds the role of publisher of Knopf Canada.
To run Random House Canada, the company is bringing in Sue Kuruvilla, who will take the role of publisher, Random House Canada and v-p of Penguin Random House Canada. Kuruvilla is new to book publishing, having served primarily in communications, marketing and public relations roles, most recently working with Masai Ujiri, president of the NBA's Toronto Raptors, and his non-profit organization, Giants of Africa.
Of her appointment Kuruvilla said, “It’s a dream come true to join the team at Penguin Random House Canada. Books have the capacity to shift perspectives, illuminate issues, and build bridges of understanding between people. Now more than ever, we need to hear from a broad range of voices and continue fostering our diverse Canadian literary culture. I’m eager to discover and amplify those stories, alongside the best team in the industry."
This story has been updated for clarity.
