PRESS RELEASE
JIM CASELLA NAMED VICE CHAIRMAN OF REED BUSINESS
Signals Major Expansion in Fast Growing BRIC Markets
NEW YORK, November 9, 2005 - Reed Business announced the promotion of James A. Casella to vice chairman of Reed Business. Formerly chief executive officer of U.S.-based Reed Business Information, Casella will have overall responsibility for the growth and development of Reed Business in China, India, Russia, and Brazil (the BRIC markets). He will continue to report to London-based Reed Business chief executive officer Gerard van de Aast as well as serve on the Reed Business management board. Tad Smith, who served as Casella's executive vice president, will succeed him as chief executive officer of Reed Business Information in the United States (RBI).
Reed Business is the business-to-business division of Reed Elsevier Group plc, the world publisher and information provider. As the world's largest provider of business-to-business information, Reed Business provides a range of communication and information channels - magazines, exhibitions, directories, online media, and marketing services - across five continents.
In his new role, Casella will be the architect of Reed Business' expansion into China, India, Russia, and Brazil, known as the BRIC markets, including managing those territories and their development, identifying and making significant acquisitions to strengthen Reed's presence, and concluding joint ventures for further growth. Casella said of his new appointment: "Reed Business has a very important role to play in these fast growth developing economies and I am looking forward to leading our significant and growing businesses there."
Casella was appointed to RBI in January 2002, when it was called Cahners, with the mission to provide North American leadership to the print and electronic properties, including Variety, Publishers Weekly, Broadcasting & Cable, and EDN, at a time of significant change due to economic recession.
His efforts were very successful. In 2002, Casella and his team substantially refocused RBI on delivering superior products more efficiently, with better rate card discipline to boost profitability substantially. He also led the rebranding from Cahners to Reed Business Information to better align the company with its parent company, Reed Elsevier. In 2003, he pioneered an innovative partnership with his former employer, IDG, and the Chinese government to launch multiple RBI publications in the Chinese language. Casella also led the expansion of RBI's substantial Web offerings and created a successful alliance with Google to grow its Web revenue. In 2004 and 2005, Casella's leadership led to many new products, which further strengthened RBI's market position across its sectors, boosted profits, and raised RBI's profile in the industry.
Over the course of Casella's career, he has held numerous leadership roles. These include the position of chief operating officer at IDG, as well as president and CEO of PennNet (now PennEnergy), president of ABC Consumer Magazines, a division of Capital Cities/ABC, and vice president of Sales and Marketing for HBJ Media Systems at Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Casella has served on the boards of two formerly listed NASDQ companies - IDG Books and Ask Jeeves. Currently, he is a member of the Executive Council for Reed Elsevier, RBI's parent company. Casella is also an active member within American Business Media (ABM), the B2B publishing industry's professional organization. There, he is a member of its Executive Committee, serving as Board Secretary.
Casella was recently honored at the ABM's spring meeting, as the recipient of the prestigious McAllister Fellowship, recognizing his unique contributions to the industry.
He received his BA cum laude from Boston College in 1970. He and Mary Claire, his wife of more than 30 years, reside both in New York and the San Francisco Bay area.
About Reed Business/Reed Elsevier:
Reed Business is the business-to-business division of Reed Elsevier Group plc, the world publisher and information provider. As the world's largest provider of business-to-business information, Reed Business provides a range of communication and information channels - magazines, exhibitions, directories, online media, and marketing services - across five continents.
Parent company, Reed Elsevier Group plc, which employs more than 36,000 people worldwide, is a world publisher and information provider. It is owned equally by Reed Elsevier plc (NYSE: RUK) and Reed Elsevier NV (NYSE: ENL). Operating in the scientific, legal, educational and business-to-business sectors, Reed Elsevier provides high value and flexible information solutions to professional end users, with increasing emphasis on internet delivery.
Contact:
Salina Le Bris
Reed Business Information
slebris@reedbusiness.com
646-746-7771