This year Jane Friedman led her company into the heart of China, India and the Internet revolution—and through the O.J. scandal—all the while exhibiting the grace and enthusiasm for which she is known.

A visionary pragmatist equally adept at building profits and relationships, Friedman is PW's 2006 Publishing Person of the Year. Whether it's investing millions to create a digital warehouse or jetting to Beijing and New Delhi to open new subsidiaries in China and India, Friedman is known for making bold moves with a flourish even her competitors admire. "Jane is the best cheerleader in the business," notes Hyperion head Bob Miller. "She's relentlessly optimistic and always thinking about ways to build new audiences."

And when the situation called for it, this very public face of HarperCollins managed to do something that goes against her nature—lay low. By refusing to get drawn into the public outcry over Judith Regan's decision to publish O.J. Simpson's quasi-confessional, Friedman managed to distance the company from the book without openly confronting one of her publishers.

Marketing Synergy

During Friedman's nine-year tenure, HC's revenues have increased from $737 million to $1.32 billion, due to a mix of acquisitions and organic growth, and profits jumped from $12 million to $167 million.

One of the ways she plans to keep growing revenues and profits is by exploiting the Internet. "I'm a marketer. The ability the Web gives you to reach thousands of people by pushing a button is a marketer's dream," Friedman says. HC is putting together a database of customer names—it has two million and is working toward collecting six million—and using it to run targeted marketing campaigns. Friedman views online searching as another important marketing tool, which is one reason she supported building the digital warehouse that will store all of HC's titles in a digital archive. HC has scanned 12,500 titles so far and is working with third parties to provide files. Those parties range from e-tailers to authors with their own sites. The digital warehouse gives HC more control—including quality control—over its digital files. To date, the company has invested "several million dollars" in the project, Friedman says.

News Corp.'s recent acquisition of the social network Web site MySpace opens the way for more Internet marketing. Friedman expects to provide content to the site as well as to use MySpace to promote authors and titles.

It won't be the first time Friedman has taken advantage of corporate synergy. Among the deals struck in 2006, HC signed an agreement with Fox Television Studios to develop programming for television and other outlets based on HC titles. Currently in development at the studio is a project based on Lisa Scottoline's Rosato and Associates law firm titles. An agreement with the Fox Atomic unit of Fox Filmed Entertainment resulted in the creation of the graphic novel line Fox Atomic Comics.

Of course, Friedman also saw the dark side of synergy this year, when Fox scheduled a two-hour special in which Judith Regan would interview O.J. Simpson to launch his confessional book. While Friedman admits that the period between the deal being made public and News Corp. canceling it was the worst week of her career, she said it hasn't shaken her faith in the value of synergy.

Nor has it made her doubt her management style, in which she gives lots of autonomy to division heads. "You have to trust the instincts of your publishers," Friedman says. In addition to providing her executives freedom to run their own operations, the management trait most valued by her execs is her enthusiasm and encouragement to innovate. "Jane's signature management quality is her unbridled positive energy and enthusiasm for publishing," says Brian Murray, group president, HarperCollins Publishers, and Friedman's top deputy.

Globe-Trotting

That enthusiasm is spreading around the world. "We want to have a presence wherever English is spoken," Friedman explains about her decision to open offices in China and India. Both countries have burgeoning middle classes with a growing appetite for information. But beyond that, these latest expansions continue Friedman's strategy of building HC's presence beyond the U.S. and the U.K. This expansion will give HC an edge in acquiring worldwide English-language rights, something that will become more important in the future, Friedman says.

Under Murray's guidance, HC transformed its Australian operations from only a distributor to a full-line publisher. HC's Canadian operations have also been expanded, under the direction of David Kent. Next stop on the world tour is South Africa, where Friedman expects HC to establish an office in 2007.

Rebuilding a Business

Friedman, 61, took over at HC in November 1997, when News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch and president Peter Chernin hired her away from Random House, where she served as executive v-p of Knopf, publisher of Vintage and president of Random Audio. During her 29 years at Knopf, Friedman acquired a wealth of knowledge on how to market books, as well as a host of contacts throughout the industry—assets that would serve her well in her new job. Friedman arrived at HC directly after then-CEO Anthea Disney oversaw a necessary but wrenching reorganization. The restructuring included large layoffs, a $270 million write-off to account for unearned advances and excess inventory, and the cancellation of 106 book contracts. Friedman was brought in in part to rebuild ties with authors and agents. She acknowledges having a rough first six months, but says she became settled after deciding to "do what I do best: focus on the people and the books."

The company is now very different from the one she inherited, and Murdoch for one appreciates Friedman's efforts. "Jane has been a tremendous success at HarperCollins. She is continuously looking for ways to strengthen the company, from international growth to an aggressive digital strategy," Murdoch says. A key part of HC's growth during Friedman's tenure was the 1999 purchase of William Morrow. Publishing+, Friedman's plan to explore ways to move beyond traditional publishing thinking, is another. Although derided by some in the industry, the initiative has yielded numerous projects, including the decision to put all reference works under the new Collins brand, which is now headed by Joe Tessitore. "Collins is a little over two years old. It got its start as a result of Publishing+, and our success starts with Jane's support and endless energy," Tessitore says.

Friedman, who says she "can't imagine doing anything else," sums up her goal simply: to continue to build a profitable business that publishes good books and is a happy place to work. For Michael Morrison, president and group publisher, Friedman has all the qualities to succeed. "Jane loves to have a good time, and she has the best heart, mind and conscience in the business. She's part Hilary Clinton, part Mother Teresa and part Mae West. Who could ask for more?"