All change at Reed

We can assume that the insiders are polishing their resumés at Reed Elsevier with the announcement that 'Mr. Generalist' Ian Smith is to succeed Crispin Davies as CEO on 1st January. According to the Grauniad Smith "was most recently the chief executive of British housebuilder Taylor Woodrow Plc. He was before that chief executive of General Healthcare Group and previously held senior positions at management consulting firm Monitor, Royal Dutch Shell and Exel Group". What next? NASA?

Meanwhile, in an altogether more predictable promotion, the diminutive powerhouse Josephine Lee has become General Manager of Reed Huayin, the Shanghai-based joint venture exhibitions business "business in the Corrugated/Converting; Manufacturing/Machinery and Print/ Packaging sectors". Founder Robby He Wenxiong has left the company to "pursue other business interests". I imagine there will be a few of those in London too.