Elizabeth Allen has been appointed to what one book printer has labelled the top book production job in the UK.


The former production director for Headline Book Publishing has been appointed to the newly created role of group production director at the Penguin Group and its latest acquisition Dorling Kindersley (DK). She takes up her new position on Monday (4 June).


Once at Penguin she will oversee the production for all of the Penguin Groups five divisions Penguin Press, Penguin General, Puffin, Ladybird and Frederick Warne as well as DK. DK, the illustrated book and multimedia publisher, was acquired by Penguins parent Pearson in May last year.


Allen will report to Andrew Welham who is both DK UK managing director and Penguin Group sales and operations director. She will head a production team of almost 100 staff.


Welham said that when he canvassed opinion from the print and publishing industry about suitable candidates for the nnew role Lizs name was always on the list. People kept saying of course youll be talking to Liz, he added.


Between them Penguin and DK have 12,000 titles in print, all reprinted on an ongoing basis, and they publish around 1,500 new titles each year.


Allen has been replaced at Headline by her former production manager, Bryone Picton. One of Pictons first tasks in her new role will be to recruit new production staff to form a team of six.


Headline is a self-contained division of Hodder Headline, which in turn is part of the WH Smith Group.


Story by Lauretta Roberts