Ngā tangata o Te Apārangi | Our People: Fei He

Tell us about your role  
I am the Head of Publishing at the Royal Society Te Apārangi, where I lead the Society’s journals and oversee all aspects of our publishing operations. My role spans strategic planning and portfolio development, guiding editorial and peer-review processes, commissioning thematic special issues, and managing relationships with our publishing partner. 

I work closely with Editors-in-Chief, editorial board members, authors, and sector stakeholders to maintain the quality, integrity, and performance of our journals. A key part of my role is ensuring the long-term sustainability of the publishing programme, while supporting innovation in how research is reviewed, published, and shared. 

What has been a defining highlight of your experience at the Society? 
Having joined the Society in January 2017, there have been many meaningful milestones along the way. I’m particularly proud of publishing the COVID-19 supplement of the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand at a critical time, expanding the journal’s editorial team to strengthen its multidisciplinary identity, and broadening the portfolio’s editorial community to over 400 editors from 40 countries. A major recent achievement was the indexing of JRSNZ in PubMed Central®, a significant milestone in the journal’s history and an important step in elevating New Zealand life and biomedical research on the global stage.

 
However, the defining highlight of my time at the Society has been leading the transition of our journals to a new publishing partnership with Wiley from 2026. 

This marks the conclusion of a 16-year collaboration with Taylor & Francis and the beginning of a new chapter for the Society’s publishing programme. It has been a substantial undertaking, from the initial approach and competitive bidding process through to negotiations, contract signing, and implementation planning. A shift of this scale does not happen often, and it represents an important strategic moment for the Society and our journals.

What makes this milestone especially meaningful is what it reflects. The transition has been underpinned by sustained growth and strengthening performance across the portfolio. In 2025 alone, the Society’s journals received 2,299 submissions and accepted 608 papers, marking the highest level of activity in our history. Our journals now publish research from authors in over 80 countries, with international contributions accounting for 54% of published papers since 2023. This trajectory of growth and diversification has strengthened the standing and influence of the Society’s publishing programme. 

The new partnership enhances global visibility and long-term resilience. Our publishing programme is now fully self-sustaining — a strategic achievement that provides greater independence for the Society. The confidence shown in this partnership is recognition of the credibility and collective effort behind our journals.