Handbags At Dawn For Emap And Hachette

Julie Harris, deputy managing director and group publishing director of the Elle and Top Sante titles, is leaving Emap to join Hachette as general manager of the women’s magazine group.

The departure of Harris is the first, of what some are predicting will be a steady stream of departures from Emap since the end of its joint ventures with Hachette (see Red’s Future Uncertain After Emap And Hachette Split). Hachette has just begun recruiting its publishing, sales and advertising teams for the Elle titles. Emap has already begun its countermove, with the launch of its new women’s celebrity weekly Closer (see First Issue Review: Closer).

Harris, who has worked at Emap for nine years, joined to work on the sales team of Elle and moved on to become publishing director of Elle Decoration. She then headed up the Emap Elan sales operation, followed by brand management for Emap Advertising, before moving to Emap Digital where she ran the lifestyle websites and worked on the early stages of FHM‘s Bikini Heaven.

Dawn Bebe, managing director of women’s media at Emap commented: “Elle was Julie’s first love, and the reason she joined Emap. Under the circumstances it is entirely logical that Julie should move across with the Elle titles to Hachette. It will be fun competing with her in the future.”

Speculation has been mounting as to whether Emap will attempt a new fashion launch to fill the void left by the fashion-heavyweight Elle titles.There have also been a steady stream of rumours that Natmags’ are eyeing key editorial staff at Emap affected by the upheaval.

In a trading statement earlier this week Emap recorded strong consumer magazine sales, which offset weaker trading in the radio market (see Emap Remains Resilient in Tough Markets).

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