Exactly ten years after the takeover of Editions Flammarion by the Madrigall group, the parent company of Gallimard, Folio, Casterman… announced on Monday July 11, “the appointment of Sophie de Closets to the presidency and general management of Editions Flammarion”. The Madrigall group press release states that, “in a context of concentration and upheaval in the publishing market, a new dynamic is needed for Flammarion”.
The arrival of Sophie de Closets, who led Fayard (a subsidiary of Hachette) between 2014 and her resignation on March 24, 2022, is part of the takeover bid launched by Vivendi, Vincent Bolloré’s group, on Lagardère, which, if the European Commission gives its approval, must authorize a merger between Editis and Hachette, the two leading publishers in France. Sophie de Closets “leads the organizations and all of the editorial developments of Editions Flammarion. It’s a chance for the group to rely on Sophie’s experience, qualities and talent.”, says Madrigall’s press release.
Hemorrhage at Fayard
The publisher, one of the most coveted on the market, notably distinguished herself by obtaining the rights to the respective Memoirs of Michelle Obama (Become2018) and Barack Obama (A promised land2020), and implementing a critical edition of Mein Kampfpublished in 2021, intended for “historicizing evil”. Very recently, she made a nice move with the publication of the Gravediggersby Victor Castanet, who brought to light the mistreatment of the elderly in the nursing homes of the Orpea group.
Since his departure from Fayard and his replacement by Isabelle Saporta, a haemorrhage of the authors of the house has occurred as never before in the publishing world. Virginie Grimaldi, Jacques Attali, Victor Castanet, Alain Badiou, Barbara Cassin, Gérard Davet, Fabrice Lhomme (the latter two are journalists at World) announced that they did not wish to stay. Some have already warned that they will follow her. This will clearly play into the hands of Antoine Gallimard, CEO of Madrigall.
The former boss of Fayard, whose appointment at Flammarion had been the subject of rumors for months, assures for her part: “Antoine Gallimard’s confidence obliges me and I am happy to join a house and a group that have upheld, for so long, the values of freedom, independence, creativity and the requirement that are essential to our professions. » It will therefore replace a duo. Patrice Margotin, who was managing director of Flammarion, joins Madrigall as managing director for developments. Anna Pavlowitch, the former president, had already left in January to Albin Michel.