{"id":72606,"date":"2026-11-02T17:29:36","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T17:29:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/?p=72606"},"modified":"2026-11-02T17:29:36","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T17:29:36","slug":"publisher-women-professional-development-sharjah-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/index.php\/2026\/11\/02\/publisher-women-professional-development-sharjah-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"PublisHer Brings Professional Development Workshops to the PublisHer Lounge at Sharjah Publishers Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"

Three-day programme gives women in publishing access to industry insights, business development, leadership and professional visibility to help them take the next steps in their publishing journeys<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sharjah, November 2, 2026<\/p>\n

PublisHer, the global platform founded by H.H. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi to advance women in publishing, is connecting participants at the 16th Sharjah Publishers Conference with eight mentors through a three-day programme combining individual guidance, workshops and professional photography.<\/p>\n

Running from 1 to 3 November at the PublisHer Lounge at Expo Centre Sharjah, the programme offers access to expertise across essential strategic, editorial, technological and professional industry learnings; insights that will facilitate the growth and advancement of women across the global publishing industry. Two opening-day workshops focused on digital presence and networking, while daily \u201cMeet a Mentor\u201d sessions allow participants to seek advice relevant to their careers and businesses.<\/p>\n

\"PublisHer<\/p>\n

Eight mentors across three sessions<\/h2>\n

Across the three-day event, the Meet a Mentor programme brings professionals with experience across different publishing markets and disciplines together with women keen to get first-hand knowledge and learning from industry peers. The eight mentors are Amy Joyner, Rights and Licensing Director at Kogan Page Publishing; Mercy Kirui, Publishing Consultant and Rights Agent at Tai AfroPress Ltd; Nermin Mollao\u011flu, Founder and Literary Agent at Kalem Literary Agency; and Nadia Wassef, Co-founder of Diwan Bookstore and PublisHer Advisory Board Member, Rosidayati Rozalina, Founder and Director of MCL Publisher; Latoya West-Blackwood, Founder of iPublish Consultancy Jamaica and Founder and Director of Jamaica Book Festival; Searsha Sadek, Founder and Chief Product Officer at Shimmr AI; and Elizabeth Briggs, Publishing Director at Saqi Books. Their specialisms cover a wide spectrum of knowledge and professional experiences including copyright acquisition, international rights sales, emerging and underserved publishing markets, and distribution and market access for African literature. Participants can also seek guidance on bookstore management, cultural curation, strategic partnerships, company development, AI-assisted book discovery and team leadership. Together, these mentors have generously donated 16 hours of their time to supporting their fellow publishers in their professional endeavors.<\/p>\n

The programme schedules two half-hour mentoring sessions on each of its three days, for a total of 32 mentorship appointments.<\/p>\n

\"PublisHer<\/p>\n

Digital presence and professional networking<\/h2>\n

Zaina Khaled, Storytelling and Executive Communications Advisor, Public Speaker and Former TikTok MENAT Lead, led the opening-day workshop \u201cThe 10 S\u2019s Method: From Stories to Social Influence\u201d.<\/p>\n

Drawing on a framework developed through 13 years of work in media and on social platforms, the workshop addressed storytelling, simplicity, safety, statistics and scale. It focused on helping participants define their digital identity, communicate authentically and connect with their audiences.<\/p>\n

Freelance journalist Olivia Snaije led \u201cIt\u2019s Not About the Business Card: The Art of Meaningful Networking\u201d. The workshop covered practical techniques for making introductions, asking better questions and building rapport, with an emphasis on developing professional relationships beyond an initial meeting.<\/p>\n