Hachette Literature Assigned to Jean-Christophe Thiery, Group's No. 2 and Confidant of Vincent Bolloré
Hachette Livre Shuffles Decks, Taps Jean-Christophe Thiery to Lead Literature Branch
On a breezy Friday, June 6th, Hachette Livre, France's top publishing powerhouse, made headlines with their announcement. By July 1, 2025, Nathalie Jouven, who's been running the literary show since 2001, will be packing her bags. Stepping into her shoes is none other than Jean-Christophe Thiery, Hachette Livre's right-hand man.
Jean-Christophe Thiery, a resolute figure across the French publishing landscape, holds a impressive resume. He's been schooled at the École Nationale d'Administration (ENA) and made his mark as a member of the French prefectural corps in 1997, further advancing into the Ministry of Economy, and later defining the media sector within the Bolloré Group. Here, he played a significant part in launching and cultivating several media outlets before ascending to more leadership roles at Canal+[1][2][3][4].
Thiery, a confidant of CEO Arnaud Lagardère, currently serves as the deputy general manager at Hachette Livre. With the impending departure of Nathalie Jouven, he is set to take charge of the Literature branch, which encompasses prestigious and historic publishing houses like Grasset, Stock, Calmann-Lévy, Fayard, and JC Lattès[5].
This transition represents a strategic move within a broader top management overhaul at the company. By directly supervising the literary sector, Thiery is expected to streamline and modernize Hachette Livre's operations, aligning with the industry changes we're currently witnessing[1][2][3][4].
Over the years, Hachette Livre has cemented its reputation for maintaining the independence its publishing houses. Amid concerns about Vincent Bolloré's alleged conservative ideologies, the management asserts their commitment to preserving strong editorial autonomy[6].
In fact, during Louis Hachette Group's annual general meeting in April, Jean-Christophe Thiery underscored the political diversity among the authors published by Hachette Livre's houses[6]. As we move forward, the eyes of the literary world will be glued to this high-profile executive as he takes the literary reins. Stay tuned!
As Hachette Livre transitions its leadership, Jean-Christophe Thiery will step into the role vacated by Nathalie Jouven, overseeing the Literature branch which includes Grasset, Stock, Calmann-Lévy, Fayard, and JC Lattès. This change is part of a broader top management overhaul, with Thiery expected to streamline and modernize Hachette Livre's operations to align with current industry trends in finance, business, and the publishing industry.
