CEO of Hachette Book Group will step down at end of the year

The head of Hachette Book Group, Michael Pietsch, is retiring as CEO and will be succeeded by Hachette UK CEO David Shelley. Pietsch, who has worked with authors ranging from Keith Richards to Donna Tartt, will serve as chairman of the U.S. publisher starting Jan. 1 of next year. Pietsch presided over an era of expansion, including the acquisition of such companies as Workman Publishing and Hyperion Books. Hachette's books include Richards’ “Life,” Tartt’s “The Goldfinch” and James Patterson’s many blockbusters. In 2020, Hachette dropped Woody Allen's “Apropos of Nothing” amid widespread protest.