Here are the two memos that accompanied Random House C.E.O. Markus Dohle’s big announcement this morning. The first concerns the elimination of Steve Rubin’s job at the top of Doubleday and the possibility of his being appointed to a new job within the company. The second concerns Irwyn Applebaum, who will be leaving Random House now that his division there has been dismantled and absorbed into other parts of the company.
MARKUS DOHLE
CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF BERTELSMANN AG
December 3, 2008
TO EVERYONE AT RANDOM HOUSE, INC.
As a result of the reorganization of the adult trade publishing groups at Random House Inc., announced today, the position of President and Publisher of the Doubleday Publishing Group has been eliminated. I am currently in discussions with STEPHEN RUBIN about creating a new role for him at Random House, Inc., working directly with me. As you know, Steve has successfully led Doubleday for almost two decades and is universally respected and admired throughout the industry for both his publishing expertise and management skills.
I know you will join me in expressing appreciation to Steve for his leadership of Doubleday.
* * *
MARKUS DOHLE
CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF BERTELSMANN AG
December 3, 2008
TO EVERYONE AT RANDOM HOUSE, INC.
It is with great regret that I inform you that IRWYN APPLEBAUM, President and Publisher of the Bantam Dell Publishing Group, will step down from his position, effective immediately, and will leave the company.
Irwyn has been one of the most successful publishers in our industry. He is widely regarded as a champion of great storytelling, with marketing acumen to match. He has guided many a writer’s career from mass market paperback to hardcover bestsellerdom, earning the dedication and loyalty of both his authors and his staff and the respect of booksellers and distributors across the country. Since 1992, Irwyn and the Bantam Dell team have published hundreds of New York Times hardcover and paperback bestsellers including multiple bestsellers by such leading authors as Dean Koontz, Danielle Steel, Louis L’Amour, Lee Child, Sophie Kinsella, Luanne Rice, and the paperbacks of John Grisham. Recent #1 New York Times nonfiction bestsellers published by Bantam Dell have included FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS by James Bradley with Ron Powers; THE WISDOM OF MENOPAUSE by Christiane Northrup M.D.; and THE SNOWBALL: WARREN BUFFETT AND THE BUSINESS OF LIFE by Alice Schroeder.
Irwyn leaves with my utmost gratitude for his extraordinary 25 years of service and for all he has accomplished at Bantam Dell. I know you will join me in wishing him all good fortune.
