Franscois McHardy Named Managing Director, Simon & Schuster Australia

Sydney, Australia and New York, NY, November 14, 2007 -- Franscois McHardy has been named Managing Director of Simon & Schuster Australia. McHardy's appointment is effective immediately, and was announced by Carolyn Reidy, who will become President and CEO of Simon & Schuster, Inc., on January 1, 2008.

As Managing Director, Mr. McHardy will have day to day responsibility for all the publishing and distribution operations and financial activities of Simon & Schuster Australia (SSA). Mr. McHardy will report to Cyrus Kheradi, Vice President and Group Director of International Sales for Simon & Schuster.

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"In the time that Franscois has been with Simon & Schuster, we have been impressed by his knowledge of both the local and the international marketplace, his obvious publishing skills, his business instincts, and his ability to work with his S&S colleagues and distribution clients across the oceans to give our books a great publication in Australia and New Zealand," said Carolyn Reidy. "S&S Australia is in the midst of its best year ever, and we will look to Franscois and his staff to continue playing a critical role in our global publishing efforts."

Franscois McHardy added: "I am excited and gratified for this opportunity. Over the last few months, as I have gotten to know the staff at SSA, and our colleagues in the US and UK, I have seen up close the terrific drive and spirit that make S&S such a formidable publishing competitor. As we look at a future in which large scale change to our industry is inevitable, I am confident S&S has the team and the ability to be successful on both the local and international level."

At the same time, Simon & Schuster announced that Jon Attenborough, Managing Director of Simon & Schuster Australia, has resigned from the company. Mr. Attenborough was named MD of SSA in 1987.

"Jon has led Simon & Schuster Australia to many years of profitability, establishing S&S as a competitive presence in the Australian marketplace, and playing a key role in Simon & Schuster's international operations. We offer our sincere thanks to Jon for his many years of service to Simon & Schuster, and for leaving us a publishing company that is well-positioned to thrive in the years ahead," said Jack Romanos, President and CEO of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Mr. McHardy first joined Simon & Schuster earlier this year as Deputy Managing Director. Prior to that, McHardy was Editorial Director at Doubleday Australia, and a key member of the executive team that achieved a dramatic turnaround and return to profitability at Bertelsmann's Book and Music club operation in Australia and New Zealand.

Mr. McHardy has held a range of other senior executive roles in the publishing industry, including positions as Sales and Marketing Director of Random House South Africa, Marketing and Publicity Manager at Hodder Headline Australia, and Director and Publisher of the Witwatersrand University Press in Johannesburg.

Mr. McHardy, 38, holds B.A. and B.A. Hons. (English Lit.) degrees from the University of Stellenbosch, and a H.D.E in education from the University of Cape Town. He lives with his family in Sydney.

Source: Simon & Schuster, Inc.