Mary Beth Roche, currently v-p and publisher for Random House Audible, an imprint that publishes digital audiobooks, will join Holtzbrinck Publishers November 18 as v-p and publisher of Audio Renaissance, Holtzbrinck's spoken-word audio division. Roche is the first person to join Audio Renaissance since Holtz- brinck began the process of moving the audio publisher's offices from Los Angeles to New York City (News, Sept. 30).
Roche will oversee the transition from Los Angeles to New York and will hire a New York staff. Alison Lazarus, president of the Holtzbrinck sales division, who also is responsible for Audio Renaissance, said she expects Roche to add five people, including a production director and marketing director. The new employees will join Joe McNeely, who remains associate publisher, director of acquisitions.
Roche has been with RH Audible since its launch in 2000. She joined Random in 1985 as a publicity assistant and has served as director of publicity for Random House and Times Books.
