This is a notable appointment in the French publishing world. Lise Boëll, current CEO of Fayard editions, was appointed on Monday, November 9, as Deputy CEO of Grasset editions, announced Hachette Livre. The publisher, known notably for having supported Éric Zemmour, Jordan Bardella, Sarah Knafo, and Nicolas Sarkozy, will simultaneously retain her duties at Fayard. She will work alongside Jean-Christophe Thiery, who remains CEO of Grasset. This arrival comes seven months after the dismissal of Olivier Nora, who had led the house for twenty-six years and whose departure caused a significant crisis among authors and employees.
Lise Boëll’s selection is notably based on the commercial results achieved since her arrival at the head of Fayard in June 2024. According to figures released by Hachette Livre, the company’s turnover increased by 45.6% by the end of October 2026 compared to the same period the previous year. Several publications met with major success in bookstores: 350,000 copies for Le Casse du siècle by Sarah Knafo, 300,000 for Le Journal d’un prisonnier by Nicolas Sarkozy, 240,000 for Ce que veulent les Français by Jordan Bardella, and 250,000 for Mémoricide by Philippe de Villiers. These performances are directly highlighted by the group to justify this new responsibility entrusted to a publisher who claims to have supported more than 400 authors during her career.
An arrival in a house weakened by the departure of many authors
Lise Boëll nevertheless inherits a delicate situation. Olivier Nora’s dismissal last April had caused significant protest in the literary world. More than 200 French and foreign authors announced their intention not to entrust their next manuscripts to Grasset, denouncing what they considered an infringement on the editorial independence of the house. Among them were notably Virginie Despentes, Sorj Chalandon, Bernard-Henri Lévy, and Vanessa Springora. This revolt, widely covered in the press, placed the Hachette group at the center of a controversy regarding the relationships between its shareholders, executives, and writers. The arrival of Lise Boëll, regularly presented as close to Vincent Bolloré, could therefore provoke new reactions among authors attached to Grasset’s history.
Arnaud Lagardère, CEO of Hachette Livre, defends instead an appointment based on the publisher’s skills and results. He praises her editorial rigor, her closeness to authors, and her ability to develop new publications. Lise Boëll will now have the mission to relaunch Grasset in the literature and essay markets while preserving the identity of a house founded nearly 120 years ago. By combining the leadership of Fayard and the deputy general management of Grasset, she occupies a strengthened position within one of the main French publishing groups.
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