Being held for the first time outside the United States, the Sharjah edition of this prestigious four-day program will empower local and regional publishing executives through advanced workshops and discussions on content creation, digital marketing, artificial intelligence, and global publishing industry trends, all led by a distinguished line-up of international academics and publishing experts.
Day 1: Publishing pathways and pivots
The inaugural program in Sharjah will be launched with introductory remarks from Andrea Chambers, the Associate Dean of the NYU SPS Center for Publishing, Writing, and Media (PWM); and Christie Henry, Director of Princeton University Press, informing participants about the agenda and purpose of the event. Henry will then lead a session exploring the impact of independent presses, drawing on her extensive knowledge about Princeton University Press’s legacy.
Subsequent discussions will address strategies for global audience engagement, including a case study on the press’s expansion into China and a collaborative workshop with Dan Hayter of Glassboxx on leveraging websites to drive readership and revenue. The day concludes with insights on acquiring globally resonant titles and designing covers for international markets, featuring Michael Reynolds of Europa Editions and Inez Munsch of Abrams & Chronicle Books.
Day 2: Innovation and imagination
Tuesday’s agenda emphasises innovation and global outreach, and Christie Henry will return to lead a session on unconventional market expansion through case studies, followed by a discussion with Samantha Schnee of Words Without Borders on the growing importance of translation rights.
Participants will also be able to engage in an interactive exercise to identify translation opportunities, while Naveen Kishore and Sunandini Banerjee of Seagull Books will highlight how translation and design synergise to fuel growth. The day closes with a case study on collaborative publishing models led by Princeton University Press’s Inés ter Horst and Christie Henry.
Day 3: Growth and global publishing trends
Wednesday shifts focus to global market dynamics, beginning with HarperCollins’ Chantal Restivo-Alessi outlining strategies for international growth and consumer trends. Carlo Carrenho of Alpine Global Collective will analyze the rapid rise of audiobooks, while Restivo-Alessi returns to dissect digital sales and operations.
Participants will then test their skills in a negotiation workshop before Kelly Gallagher of Ingram Content Group concludes the day with a forward-looking analysis of shifts in international print sales.
Day 4: Eyes on the future
The final day spotlights innovation, opening with Joana Jamil of Meta discussing digital marketing strategies for book promotion. Chantal Restivo-Alessi revisits the stage to explore AI’s implications for publishers, followed by HarperCollins’ Marine Debray mapping global innovation trends. Keith Riegert of Ulysses Press will also demonstrate practical AI applications for publishers, culminating in team-based exercises to apply learned tools.
The program concludes with a certificate ceremony symbolising participants’ completion of an intensive curriculum designed to advance leadership in global publishing. Beyond formal recognition, the ceremony reinforces attendees’ access to a prestigious network of industry leaders and institutions, empowering them to implement innovative strategies within their organisations.
This milestone event serves to empower and validate the expertise of publishing professionals and enhance their leadership in a rapidly evolving industry, aligning with Sharjah’s vision to foster global publishing dialogue and sustainable growth.
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