Sharjah: The Training Programme for Arab and African Publishers 2025 commenced on Saturday, uniting 161 publishers, including 75 from Africa, alongside authors and publishing professionals globally. The initiative focused on industry priorities such as managing audio content, developing audiobook strategies, expanding family-run publishing businesses into international brands, and exploring new digital distribution models.
According to Emirates News Agency, the event was organized by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) in collaboration with New York University (NYU) at Expo Centre Sharjah, signaling a push for innovation in publishing to support Arab and African publishers in extending their global reach. Mansour Al Hassani, Director of Publishing Services at the SBA, emphasized the importance of learning from international leaders and fostering cross-border collaboration to enhance publishing standards in the region.
Andrea Chambers, Associate Dean of the NYU SPS Centre for Publishing, Writing, and Media, noted the focus on sharing best practices and strategies, addressing challenges, and exploring growth and audience expansion. The goal is to help publishers advance by learning from leading industry executives.
Markus Dohle, CEO Emeritus of Penguin Random House, in his keynote presentation, 'Global Book Industry and Publishing in Emerging Markets,' highlighted the vast opportunities in emerging economies, home to 86 percent of the world's population. He pointed out booming markets in India, Southeast Asia, and 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 on 'Bracing Audio: Effective Strategies for Publishers Big and Small,' encouraging publishers to tap into the 'borderless' potential of audiobooks. She revealed a significant opportunity in the Arab world, with 400 million speakers and only around 12,000 available titles in Arabic, emphasizing the importance of localised production and quality standards.
Brooke O'Donnell, Senior Vice President at Independent Publishers Group (IPG), offered insights into global expansion, highlighting advantages like broader market reach and intellectual property value optimization. She advised starting with a clear goal and selecting the right distribution partner, stressing the importance of sound budgeting and print-on-demand for exploring new markets.
Mariana F©ged, General Manager of Bookwire MENA, highlighted the growth of the Arabic digital market at a 147 percent compound annual growth rate. She urged publishers to capitalize on this boom by making catalogues available in all business models to increase revenue opportunities, with audio being the most profitable, generating 71 percent of digital revenue.