HACHETTE UK ANNOUNCES EXPANSION IN SHEFFIELD NATIONAL OFFICE

Embargoed until 22 August 2023, London UK – As part of its ongoing commitment to accelerate the diversification of its workforce and publishing, Hachette UK is expanding their national office in Sheffield. The 23-strong team have moved to a workspace owned by Twinkl, a leading education business founded in Sheffield.

Hachette UK now has 120 staff based across the cities of Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh, Newcastle and Sheffield. Of the 120 staff over 40% have been recruited locally and in Sheffield that number rises to over 50%. This growth at a national level is proof of Hachette UK’s desire to broaden its workforce and deepen its understanding of existing and potential new readers.

The Sheffield team includes colleagues from 8 different publishing divisions and a similar number of job functions, with particular strengths in editorial, marketing, sales, rights and IT.

Since opening in 2021, the team has established strong relationships with the local literary community, including local independent bookshops Juno Books and La Biblioteka and Sheffield Central Library, where its popular fortnightly open mic night Sheffield Draft Night is held.

This move to a standalone space with two suites, meeting rooms with high-spec technology, a bespoke audio studio, and break-out and quiet spaces will enable Hachette UK to hire creative talent beyond London and better reach all consumers. Sheffield-based staff moved into their new office space on 4 August 2023.

Nick Davies, MD of John Murray Press and national office lead at Hachette UK, said: “We are committed to growing our creative hubs across the UK. In just over two years, the national offices have more than doubled in size. The growth in Sheffield – from five staff to twenty-three – has been particularly exciting to see. And this impressive new space with our friends at Twinkl, gives us the potential to grow that office to 75 colleagues or more. We have already begun reaping the rewards of having a workforce that better reflects the UK’s population. Of course, better is not enough and we have ambitious plans to deepen our vital connections with readers, writers and booksellers in communities beyond London. The move to bigger premises in Sheffield plays a significant part in that.”

David Shelley, CEO of Hachette UK, commented: “I'm so proud of our national offices, and excited about the major expansion in Sheffield. Since 2021 the national offices have provided a gateway into creative talent - authors, illustrators, translators, publishing professionals - around the UK. We're 100% committed to the growth and development of these hubs over the coming years, and we really look forward to continuing and developing our work with bookshops, libraries, arts organisations, and charities in all five cities. Opening offices around the country has been a crucial and transformative venture for us in our mission to publish for as wide a readership as possible, and we're ambitious to increase our footprint outside London further in the years to come.”

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