Hardie Grant, founded in 1997 in Australia by Fiona Hardie and Sandy Grant with an investment from Associated Media Investments (AMI), is changing ownership so that the publisher will be "an independent, Australian-owned business." The company has 200 staff members and revenue of more than A$100 million (about US$74.8 million).
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| Sandy Grant and Fiona Hardie | |
Hardie and Grant, along with Hardie Grant Publishing Group managing director Julie Pinkham and publishing veteran Ian Webster, have bought out AMI's interest in the company. As a result, the board has changed composition: chair Bruce Watson, Richard Gerahty and Rob Gamble, all AMI representatives, are leaving. Sandy Grant is now becoming chair, and Fiona Hardie remains a director. New board members include Julie Pinkham, Ian Webster and Nick Hardie-Grant. Andrew Davis remains company secretary and COO.
Grant, a former president of the Australian Publishers Association, commented: "We have seen really exciting growth in Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. in the last few years and are expanding our marketing services and media portfolio steadily. The ownership won't change our trajectory but confirms our long term commitment to our existing strategies."