Riti Jagoorie appointed Managing Director of Hachette India as Thomas Abraham retires

12 June 2025 – Thomas Abraham, the founding managing director of Hachette India, has retired after 18 years with the company. Riti Jagoorie will take over as MD of Hachette India, stepping up from her current role as vice-president of product and marketing in January 2026 to lead the business.

Abraham has been MD of Hachette India, a fully owned subsidiary of Hachette UK, since he was headhunted from his role as CEO and president of Penguin India in 2007. 

While the publisher’s dominant revenue stream is from its imports, the local divisions publish an eclectic list, featuring authors including Indra Nooyi, Roopa Pai, Anuradha Roy and Manjula Padmanabhan, among others.

Abraham personally curated and reissued a legacy imprint, Yellowbacks, comprising adventure, crime and pulp-fiction classics, which will be released in the UK and US at the end of 2025.

Abraham said: “It has been a tremendous journey, and I’ve loved every moment of it, but after 25 years of running operating companies, it’s time to step back and read something for pleasure beyond P&Ls and balance sheets. I’m delighted that I’m able to leave at an all-time high for us, and with the talented team we have, I have no doubt it will continue to go higher. This journey would not have been possible without the unstinting support from Richard Kitson, David Shelley and Charlie King, the wonderful teams at Hachette India and Hachette UK.”

Richard Kitson, Deputy CEO of Hachette UK and Hachette Book Group and chair of HUK International, said: “Thomas has been the most amazing MD and colleague since he helped found Hachette India 18 years ago. Since then, the company has grown every year and is now the third-largest trade publisher in the country, with a brilliant team working there and so many individual successes that he has been responsible for.”

Kitson added: “Thomas is one of the most strategic leaders I’ve had the pleasure to work with as well as being one of the warmest and most generous with his time and knowledge. He also knows more than anyone about such a diverse range of subjects, particularly the Hodder Yellowbacks, Sherlock Holmes and out-of-copyright authors in general, as well as jazz or classic rock music from the 1960s and ’70s.”

Following Abraham’s departure, Jagoorie will lead the board at Hachette India, reporting to Charlie King.

The newly-appointed MD joined Hachette India in 2008 as one of its first employees, and the product manager for Little, Brown and Headline. She was promoted to head of product and delivered strong results with UK divisions including Little, Brown, Hodder and Profile, which is represented in India by Hachette.

Jagoorie led the marketing and publicity campaign for Indra Nooyi’s My Life in Full (Piatkus Books), and promoted bestsellers like The Devotion of Suspect X (Abacus), The Silent Patient (Orion) and The Empire of the Moghul series (Headline Review).

According to the company, one of Jagoorie’s “key strengths” has been her ability to work closely with booksellers across the country.

Jagoorie said: “I feel so fortunate to be a part of Hachette India and to bring the brilliant books we publish to readers all over the world. It has been such a privilege to work with and learn from someone as incredibly knowledgeable, experienced and inspiring as Thomas. I am grateful to him for hiring me, for always encouraging and guiding me and for trusting me to take this company forward.”

She added: “I am also very thankful to the top leadership at Hachette: David, Richard and Charlie, for this amazing opportunity. Thomas has built a solid business with a great team and a fantastic track record and I am excited to step up and ensure that we honour that legacy and continue to deliver the best results, for our books and our authors.”

Abraham added: “Riti has been with the company since it began operations from day one. She’s grown with the company, been absolutely integral to our success, and her contribution has been invaluable. I’m so pleased and proud that she will lead the business. Her instinct for books and her flair for business are exceptional, and I’m in no doubt that she will take the company to new heights.”

King said: “I am delighted that Riti is stepping up to become MD of Hachette India. She has contributed so much to the business over her 17 years with Hachette as an integral member of Thomas Abrahams’ senior team. Riti has razor-sharp commercial instincts, strong editorial judgement, excellent people-skills and, most importantly, an exciting vision for the future of Hachette’s business in India.”