Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

Adeeb Nami has always been on a journey of self-discovery through creative endeavors. His

Allison K Williams has edited and coached authors to deals with Big Five publishers and

Amandeep Bhangu is an international presenter-reporter and filmmaker, with 10 years’

Annabel Kantaria is a British journalist and author. Winning the 2013 Montegrappa Writing

Antonina Grunska-Gokdeniz is an expert on China. Fluent in Mandarin, she has helped companies

Bilal Orfali, Ph.D. (2009), Yale University, is Sheikh Zayed Chair for Arabic and Islamic

Brandy Scott is the co-host of The Business Breakfast on Dubai Eye 103.8. Brandy’s career has

Charles Nahhas is the Middle East distributor of Montegrappa and other luxury brands. Born in

After forty years in bookselling and publishing sales, working in most of Europe, the Middle

Author, workplace culture advisor, executive coach and speaker Dawn Metcalfe helps

Ehsan Parham Al Awadhi has more than ten years of experience as a producer of visual content,

Elham Alqasim is an Emirati business woman, adventurer, entrepreneur and mother of three who

Gamze Hakli Geray is a Psychotherapist, Author and Counsellor. Gamze’s debut book

Georgia Tolley worked for ten years for BBC Radio 4 in London before moving to the UAE in 2014

Hafsa Hariga is a translator, critic and blogger. She runs her own blog, rohalyasmine, about

An engineer by profession and an artist at heart, Hani Yakan has a passion to be onstage,

Jamil Adas is the founder of The Poetryhood, which is a poetry initiative dedicated to

Long-time UAE resident and bookworm Jonathan Siklos is a corporate super sleuth by day. By

Julia Wheeler is an experienced journalist and interviewer who worked for the BBC for more than

Khalifa Bin Sobeih Al Suwaidi’s experience encompasses a wide variety of knowledge in all

Kira Jean is the founder and CEO of The Dreamwork Collective, an independent print and digital

Lamya Tawfik is a media professional in Dubai working as a presenter, writer, translator and

Manal Omar, founder of Across Red Lines, is dedicated to women’s leadership for change. She is

Mark Lomas is a Dubai-based journalist, editor and broadcaster who has couch-surfed through

Mashal Waqar is the co-founder and COO of The Tempest, a global women’s media company bringing

Mish’al Eskander is a Saudi Arabian MC, stand-up comedian and core improv troupe member with

With more than ten years of experience as a journalist in the UAE, Mohammed has reported on a

Porter Anderson is Editor-in-Chief of Publishing Perspectives, founded and operated by

Rachel Hamilton’s debut novel was runner up in the Emirates Literature Festival’s

Rehan Khan has always been intrigued by the way legends and chronicles from across the world

Richard Dean is one of Dubai’s leading broadcasters, journalists and public speakers. Host of

Sally is one of the most in-demand presenters in the Middle East, who has interviewed some of

Sara Hamdan is currently editor of Think with Google MENA, a hub for all things digital

Tamara Clarke is an American expat and former software developer based in Abu Dhabi, where she

Tyler initially trained at drama school in London and worked extensively in theatre before

Wendy Holden has written more than 30 non-fiction titles, including many international

Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh has been active in government service since 1968, in many key positions

Zeina Hashem Beck is a Lebanese poet. Her most recent collection, Louder than Hearts, won the