The head of Penguin Random House has resigned, citing the US decision to block the firm's $2.2 billion takeover of rival Simon Schuster.
Markus Dohle is going to step down at the end of the year, the company said, adding that he was parting at his own request and on the best of mutual terms that Mr Dohle had led Penguin since 2013, when it emerged from another big merger as the world's largest book publisher.
A US judge ruled in favor of the US government, which tried to block the merger, arguing that the tie-up would reduce pay and opportunities for writers.
After the merger of Penguin Random House and Simon Schuster in the US, I decided after nearly 15 years. Mr Dohle said he would hand over the next chapter of Penguin Random House to new leadership.
Penguin Random House was formed in 2013 by the merger of the UK's Penguin with New York-based Random House.
Mr King was among the big names to testify against the merger on behalf of the US government, which took a harder line against monopolies under US President Joe Biden.
Bertelsmann initially said it would appeal against the US decision, but eventually scrapped the deal. It is paying $200 m for the breakup fee.
Since 1994, Mr Dohle had worked in various positions for Bertelsmann. He was the boss at Random House when he announced the merger with Penguin.