emirates7 - The Training Programme for Arab and African Publishers 2025 kicked off on Saturday, bringing together 161 publishers, including 75 from across Africa, along with authors and publishing professionals from around the world. The programme addressed key industry priorities, including managing audio content, building effective audiobook strategies, scaling family-run publishing businesses into international brands, and exploring new digital distribution models.
Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) in collaboration with New York University (NYU) at Expo Centre Sharjah, the event reflected a broader push for innovation in publishing, with the purpose of supporting Arab and African publishers in expanding their global reach.
Mansour Al Hassani, Director of Publishing Services at the SBA, said the programme is part of the Authority’s broader initiative, under the leadership of H.H. Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SBA, to support publishing professionals. He stressed the importance of learning from international industry leaders and building cross-border collaboration to raise the standards and effectiveness of publishing in the region.
Andrea Chambers, Associate Dean of the NYU SPS Centre for Publishing, Writing, and Media, stated, “For this year, we are focused on sharing best practices and strategies, hearing your challenges, and exploring how you can achieve growth, expand your reach, and find new audiences. Our goal is to help you advance that process by learning from leading executives in the field of publishing.”
In his keynote presentation, “Global Book Industry & Publishing in Emerging Markets,” Markus Dohle, CEO Emeritus of Penguin Random House, connected global trends to opportunities in the Arab world and Africa. He underscored that 86 percent of the world’s population lives in emerging economies, which boast higher GDP growth, creating a vastly larger opportunity for publishing. He cited booming markets in India and Southeast Asia, as well as Africa, which is projected to reach US$18.5 billion by 2050.
Amanda D’Acierno, Global President of Penguin Random House Audio, led a session titled “Bracing Audio: Effective Strategies for Publishers Big and Small,” and urged publishers to capitalise on the “borderless” potential of audiobooks. While around 30 percent of the global population have listened to at least one audiobook in their lives, she revealed a massive opportunity for the Arab world with 400 million speakers and only around 12,000 available titles in Arabic. Her strategy for emerging markets focused on localised production and ensuring the highest quality standards. “A customer that has a positive experience with audiobooks will return time after time,” she stated.
Brooke O’Donnell, Senior Vice President at Independent Publishers Group (IPG), offered publishers insights into expanding globally, highlighting key advantages such as broader market reach and optimising the value of intellectual property. She noted that to overcome challenges, it is crucial to an appropriate distribution partner. “Start with a clear goal,” O’Donnell advised. She further stressed the importance of sound budgeting and the use of print-on-demand as a low-risk way to explore new markets, enabling sustainable and scalable growth.
During a presentation by Mariana Féged, General Manager of Bookwire MENA, she highlighted the company’s growth, saying, “As a digital distributor with 2,500 clients across seven markets, over 1,000,000 ebooks, and more than 200,000 audiobooks, audio is by far the most profitable opportunity, generating 71 percent of digital revenue.”
With the Arabic digital market growing at a 147 percent compound annual growth rate, she urged publishers to capitalise on this boom, saying, “It is important to make your catalogues available in all business models to increase revenue opportunities,” Féged advised.
Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) in collaboration with New York University (NYU) at Expo Centre Sharjah, the event reflected a broader push for innovation in publishing, with the purpose of supporting Arab and African publishers in expanding their global reach.
Mansour Al Hassani, Director of Publishing Services at the SBA, said the programme is part of the Authority’s broader initiative, under the leadership of H.H. Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SBA, to support publishing professionals. He stressed the importance of learning from international industry leaders and building cross-border collaboration to raise the standards and effectiveness of publishing in the region.
Andrea Chambers, Associate Dean of the NYU SPS Centre for Publishing, Writing, and Media, stated, “For this year, we are focused on sharing best practices and strategies, hearing your challenges, and exploring how you can achieve growth, expand your reach, and find new audiences. Our goal is to help you advance that process by learning from leading executives in the field of publishing.”
In his keynote presentation, “Global Book Industry & Publishing in Emerging Markets,” Markus Dohle, CEO Emeritus of Penguin Random House, connected global trends to opportunities in the Arab world and Africa. He underscored that 86 percent of the world’s population lives in emerging economies, which boast higher GDP growth, creating a vastly larger opportunity for publishing. He cited booming markets in India and Southeast Asia, as well as Africa, which is projected to reach US$18.5 billion by 2050.
Amanda D’Acierno, Global President of Penguin Random House Audio, led a session titled “Bracing Audio: Effective Strategies for Publishers Big and Small,” and urged publishers to capitalise on the “borderless” potential of audiobooks. While around 30 percent of the global population have listened to at least one audiobook in their lives, she revealed a massive opportunity for the Arab world with 400 million speakers and only around 12,000 available titles in Arabic. Her strategy for emerging markets focused on localised production and ensuring the highest quality standards. “A customer that has a positive experience with audiobooks will return time after time,” she stated.
Brooke O’Donnell, Senior Vice President at Independent Publishers Group (IPG), offered publishers insights into expanding globally, highlighting key advantages such as broader market reach and optimising the value of intellectual property. She noted that to overcome challenges, it is crucial to an appropriate distribution partner. “Start with a clear goal,” O’Donnell advised. She further stressed the importance of sound budgeting and the use of print-on-demand as a low-risk way to explore new markets, enabling sustainable and scalable growth.
During a presentation by Mariana Féged, General Manager of Bookwire MENA, she highlighted the company’s growth, saying, “As a digital distributor with 2,500 clients across seven markets, over 1,000,000 ebooks, and more than 200,000 audiobooks, audio is by far the most profitable opportunity, generating 71 percent of digital revenue.”
With the Arabic digital market growing at a 147 percent compound annual growth rate, she urged publishers to capitalise on this boom, saying, “It is important to make your catalogues available in all business models to increase revenue opportunities,” Féged advised.