José Borghino has been the Secretary General at the International Publishers Association (IPA) since 2015, after serving as a Policy Director in 2013.

Previously, he served as an Industry Representation Manager at the Australian Publishers Association. He was also a lecturer of Creative Industries and Literary journalism at the University of Sydney and editor at NewMatilda.com, in addition to serving as Executive Director at the Australian Society of Authors, and Acting Director & Senior Programme Manager of the Literature Board at the Australia Council for the Arts.

José Borghino holds a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Sydney, and a bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Melbourne.

Co Founder and Managing Director Tayarah World Digital Content

Poet, Artist, Scriptwriter, and multi-award-winning Film Director

An Emirati poet and prominent filmmaker, Najoom Al Ghanem was born in Dubai on 24 October 1962. She holds a bachelor’s degree in TV production and directing from Ohio University in the United States (1996) and a master’s degree in film direction from Griffith University in Australia (1999).

She began her literary career in the late 1970s, publishing her first poetry collection titled "Masaa Al-Jannah" in 1989, followed by seven other poetry collections.

In the field of cinema, she has directed and produced more than 20 films including seven feature-length documentaries, most of which have won regional and international awards. Among her notable documentaries is "Hamama" (2010), which won Best Documentary Film at the Gulf Film Festival 2011 and received the Special Jury Prize at the Dubai International Film Festival 2010.

In addition, she co-founded Nahar Productions in 2009 and works as a mentor in filmmaking and creative writing, as well as a cultural and media consultant.

Nujoom Al Ghanem is considered one of the leading figures in the UAE’s cultural and artistic scene, with her work contributing significantly to the literary and cinematic movement in the region.

Manager of Al Marsam Al Hor Department of Culture and Tourism