HarperCollins Forms New Christian Publishing Division

Posted on July 31, 2012

HarperCollins announced today that it is launching a new Christian publishing division. Mark Schoenwald has been appointed President and CEO of the new division, which will consist of Zondervan and Thomas Nelson, which the company recently acquired. Zondervan and Nelson will remain as separate imprints. Scott Macdonald is stepping down as President and CEO of Zondervan, but will remain in an advisory role.

Brian Murray, President and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide, had this to say about the changes: "Mark is an experienced leader in the Christian publishing market, and we are thrilled to have him at the helm of our newly expanded Christian division. The new division adds further scale and balance to HarperCollins overall portfolio, and Mark will work closely with the leadership teams of HarperCollins, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan to build on the individual strengths of each company."

Schoenwald has been with Thomas Nelson since 2004: he was named CEO in 2011. Schoenwald said in a statement, "I feel blessed to have the opportunity to lead the Christian publishing division for HarperCollins Publishers. I am fortunate to move into this role with the benefit of a strong foundation to build on, coupled with many talented people on both teams. I anticipate a smooth transition as we begin to work together, optimizing all strengths to create an even more successful publishing program for these two distinct brands which, combined, have 300 years of publishing experience and history."

Schoenwald will remain in Nashville, Tennessee. He will commute to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Zondervan is located.