diff --git a/requirements-swh.txt b/requirements-swh.txt
--- a/requirements-swh.txt
+++ b/requirements-swh.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 swh.core >= 0.0.7
 swh.loader.core >= 0.0.78
-swh.model >= 0.0.27
+swh.model >= 0.0.60
 swh.scheduler >= 0.0.39
 swh.storage >= 0.0.108
diff --git a/swh/loader/git/converters.py b/swh/loader/git/converters.py
--- a/swh/loader/git/converters.py
+++ b/swh/loader/git/converters.py
@@ -85,36 +85,7 @@
 
 def parse_author(name_email: bytes) -> Person:
     """Parse an author line"""
-    if name_email is None:
-        raise ValueError('fullname is None')
-
-    try:
-        open_bracket = name_email.index(b'<')
-    except ValueError:
-        name = email = None
-    else:
-        raw_name = name_email[:open_bracket]
-        raw_email = name_email[open_bracket+1:]
-
-        if not raw_name:
-            name = None
-        elif raw_name.endswith(b' '):
-            name = raw_name[:-1]
-        else:
-            name = raw_name
-
-        try:
-            close_bracket = raw_email.index(b'>')
-        except ValueError:
-            email = None
-        else:
-            email = raw_email[:close_bracket]
-
-    return Person(
-        name=name,
-        email=email,
-        fullname=name_email,
-    )
+    return Person.from_fullname(name_email)
 
 
 def dulwich_tsinfo_to_timestamp(
diff --git a/swh/loader/git/tests/test_converters.py b/swh/loader/git/tests/test_converters.py
--- a/swh/loader/git/tests/test_converters.py
+++ b/swh/loader/git/tests/test_converters.py
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@
 
     def test_author_line_to_author(self):
         # edge case out of the way
-        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
             converters.parse_author(None)
 
         tests = {
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@
             ),
             b'malformed <email': Person(
                 name=b'malformed',
-                email=None,
+                email=b'email',
                 fullname=b'malformed <email'
             ),
             b'trailing <sp@c.e> ': Person(
@@ -196,12 +196,12 @@
                 fullname=b'no<sp@c.e>',
             ),
             b' <>': Person(
-                name=b'',
-                email=b'',
+                name=None,
+                email=None,
                 fullname=b' <>',
             ),
             b'something': Person(
-                name=None,
+                name=b'something',
                 email=None,
                 fullname=b'something'
             )