Alexandra Schönleben, currently Geschäftsführer of the children‑ and youth‑book publisher Arena Verlag in Würzburg, will assume the same title at Westermann Lernwelten in Braunschweig on 1 January 2027.
The two houses, both part of the Westermann Gruppe, will remain legally independent but will be jointly managed, with the aim of unlocking synergies across selected publishing areas.
Since 2022, the trade customers of both imprints have been served centrally, a step the group says prepares the firms for deeper cooperation.
Arena Verlag’s catalogue comprises roughly 2,000 titles ranging from picture books to young‑adult literature, while Westermann Lernwelten focuses on educational media for pre‑school, out‑of‑school and therapeutic settings such as logo‑ and ergotherapy.
“With the new leadership structure we create a strong alliance that reflects the importance of both houses for the Westermann Group,” explained Sven Fischer, CEO of the Westermann Gruppe and interim Geschäftsführer of Westermann Lernwelten.
Schönleben added, “We want to strengthen both publishers in these economically challenging times and look forward to further collaboration with the Westermann Lernwelten team.”