Reynolds said his role would also cover product fulfilment.
Readers Digest strategy for several years has been to reduce its supplier base and Reynolds will continue to develop a virtual and centralised production team.
Readers Digest previously had 18 production teams, but it now has one central group, with people located in Stuttgart, Paris and London looking after its print buying across the Continent.
We originally started from a position where we were guiding countries on what suppliers to use.
We then moved to doing the deals with suppliers and now scheduling and purchase orders are all done from our central location, said Reynolds.
In March 2002, Readers Digest acquired US publisher Reiman. Part of Reynolds remit over the next year will be to streamline the acquisitions supplier base with the objective of centralising it within Readers Digest.
By Rachel Barnes
