Anthony Forbes Watson, CEO of the Penguin Group UK, has confirmed that up to 49 positions will be eliminated before the end of the year. The majority of the job losses will be felt by Dorling Kindersley, following an extensive reorganization of DK within the Penguin Group. DK's lists will be cut and, as a result, 23 positions will be eliminated.
Penguin Press managing director Helen Fraser loses five staffers as the frontlist is pushed at the expense of the backlist. Head of online publishing Caroline Benn will leave at Christmas; her department will also lose four people.
Penguin's new sales structure will kick in in December, when group sales director Peter Bowron will reduce his field sales teams from three to two teams, losing seven field sales staff in the process. There will be four further jobs cut in U.K. sales and two in international markets.
Late last week, HarperCollins confirmed rumors that job cuts are also imminent at its headquarters. Nineteen employees will lose their jobs, but there are no details about which divisions will be affected
