In a cost-cutting move from two of Canada's biggest publishers, Random House Canada and McClelland & Stewart are outsourcing their subsidiary rights work to a newly formed offshoot of the Cooke Agency called the Cooke Agency International. As a result of the move, three staffers at RH Canada and two at M&S were laid off.
In a statement from RH Canada, CEO Brad Martin said the move speaks to "the reality of our business" and the fact that the financial justiufication wasn't there to maintain a department "of our size to pursue as its primary duty the foreign-rights sales of the limited catalogue of titles we have to offer." Doug Pepper, president and publisher of M&S, echoed Martin, saying that as "efficiencies become more imperative," this move will "increase our potential market leverage."
The Cooke Agency International, which will have separate offices in Toronto from the Cooke Agency and be run as a separate company, will be overseen by subsidiary rights director Suzanne Brandreth. The company will look to pick up other clients--both other agencies and other houses--and is currently staffing up.
With this new arrangement, both publishers have tweaked their internal structures. At RH Canada, domestic first- and second-serial rights, which the publisher controls, will now be handled by the publicity department. Additionally, Samantha North, who's been at the house since 2006, has been named to the newly created position of director of contracts, maintaining all foreign rights contracts for the house's authors. Naomi Pinn and Kara Bristow have also both been named contracts associate.
At M&S, first and second serial rights will also be handled by the publicity department, and Claire Sharpe has been named manager of contracts. Carol Rickets has been named royalty clerk.
The changes see the elimination of positions held by Jennifer Shepard, Ron Eckel and Fiona Harvey at RH Canada and by Marilyn Biderman and Krista Willis at M&S.
