Library services provider Blackwell Group, UK, has announced the appointment of Andrew Hutchings as Chief Executive Officer. In his new role, Hutchings will have full responsibility for both Blackwell Book Services and Blackwell UK Ltd. He takes up his new role with immediate effect and the BUK Board will now report directly to him.
Hutchings joined Blackwell's Oxford office in 1987. He led both the Information Technology and Marketing departments in Oxford while also completing the Blackwell's Management Training programme. After a three year assignment in Blackwell USA Oregon offices leading the integration of the global businesses, he took on global responsibility for the Acquisitions and Distribution functions.
Hutchings took on the role of BBS UK Managing Director in March 2005 and led the recovery in performance within that business unit. He also helped to guide the business through another system change when Blackwell Books Services moved from its mainframe technology to a new Windows-based system.
He was appointed Blackwell Book Services CEO in March 2007. During this time, Blackwell acquired Everett's Library Services and more recently Houtschild Library Booksellers in The Hague, adding to their portfolio of businesses in the US (Portland, Oregon, Blackwood, New Jersey), Oxford UK and Sydney, Australia.
With offices in the UK, the Netherlands, Australia and the US, Blackwell has been supplying books and bibliographic support to academic and research libraries for 128 years. The company seeks to help libraries keep the cost of identifying and acquiring books and ebooks, as low as possible.
