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'Absolute chaos' at Sutton's empire

23.11.07 Tom Tivnan

Alan Sutton's newly formed NPI Media Group is understood to be in "chaos", with agents claiming a raft of unpaid royalties and an "exodus" of staff.

Agent Andrew Lownie said he has 11 authors contracted with NPI who have been paid late, and the amounts that have been paid were inaccurate or paid on just 10% of net receipts. "We have been told they don't have any accurate records," Lownie said. "It is absolute chaos."

The Watson, Little agency has eight authors with outstanding royalties from NPI. "I have been assured that things are moving, but there is absolutely no sign of any money from them," said m.d. Mandy Little. "It's a sorry state of affairs. Agents won't go near them. We certainly won't."

NPI, which has a turnover of about £17m, includes imprints Tempus, Sutton and Jarrold Publishing, and is the UK's largest heritage and specialist history publishing group. It was formed by Alan Sutton in February.

Chief executive Tony Morris said slow royalty payments were due to combining new systems: "It is well known that we have had a very difficult time integrating five separate royalty structures and over 3,000 new contracts. We are committed to paying all royalties and are working flat out to achieve this."

Morris also denied there had been mass staff departures, saying only one editor has left since 2nd May. But a former NPI employee said there has been "a wholesale exodus" of staff from the group in recent months. She added: "The integration of the companies hasn't gone well; there is hardly anyone left."

Alan Sutton tom tivnan NPI Media

Comments on this article

By Minchinhampton MooCow

Total nonsense. There is no "staff exodus"; just shedding the dead wood.

23 Nov 07 22:51

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By Ex Employee

Not surprises at this.
Comment edited, 25 February 2008

25 Nov 07 06:25

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By Former employee

Inevitable. Sutton is a virtual publisher; he has never understood the ratio between costs and expenditure. He has always been very good at extracting money from investors. How many of his companies have ever made a profit?

25 Nov 07 07:33

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By Someone who knows ;)

Chaos is not the word! Everyone is owed money!
Comment edited, 25th February 2008

25 Nov 07 15:21

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By former employee

The staff who have left since the formation of NPI media have certainly NOT been dead wood. Just over 50% of Sutton staff at the time of the takeover have now left. This is largely due to their frustration at no longer being able to do their jobs effectively and the complete lack of leadership and communication from Mr Sutton himself.

26 Nov 07 16:14

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By cheltenham spa

It would be nice for a small amount of regard to be shown for the current employees by their predecessors. They are clearly going to be the ones most affected by this. Changes for the good are happening every day, and it is a shame to have the hard work of improvement overshadowed by vitriol relating largely to the past. Surely it would be more fitting to extend the generosity of spirit some feel were denied them to the people trying to put things right?

26 Nov 07 18:24

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By Someone who knows... better ;)

The harsh truth is that Haynes sold Sutton because its performance "remained consistently below management expectations." A £199k LOSS on £3 mil turnover smacks of complacency. I'd imagine that being bolted on to Tempus - a PROFITABLE company - would put the wind up the dead wood rather?

26 Nov 07 19:18

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