Authors 
Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin
Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin is an acclaimed Sudanese novelist and short story writer, whose many Read More

Abdulsalam Haykal
Abdulsalam Haykal is the CEO of Haykal Group, which has been based in Abu Dhabi since 2013. The Read More

Afra Atiq
Dr Afra Atiq is an Emirati scholar and poet. She has a completed her PhD in Media and Creative Read More

Afra Mahmood
Afra Mahmood is an Emirati writer whose a short story collection White Bed was published in Read More

Ahlam Bolooki
Ahlam Bolooki is the Director of the Emirates Festival of Literature – the Middle East’s Read More

Alia Al Shamsi
Alia Al Shamsi is an Emirati-Italian author, poet and photographer. She has a Bachelor’s degree Read More

Allison K Williams
Allison K Williams is the author of Get Published in Literary Magazines and Seven Drafts: Read More

Amal Alsahlawi
Amal Alsahlawi is an Emirati poet who studied Arabic literature at the University of Sharjah Read More

Ameera BuKadra
Ameera BuKadra is an Emirati author for children and young adults who holds a bachelor’s Read More

Amin Maalouf
Amin Maalouf was born in Beirut. He studied economics and sociology and then worked as an Read More

Andy Fieldhouse
Team coach and author Andy Fieldhouse is a man with a mission: to help people get teamwork Read More

Annabel Kantaria
In 2013, Annabel Kantaria won the inaugural Montegrappa Writing Prize at the Emirates Airline Read More

Arqam
Born and raised in the UAE, with roots in Oman and Zanzibar, Arqam is a young Emarati soul Read More

Arthur de Oliveira
Arthur de Oliveira is a filmmaker, poet, theater practitioner, and artist from Limeira, São Read More

Ashley Green
Originally from Scotland, Ashley Green now teaches in Dubai and has done for ten years. Read More

Asmaa Seddiq Al-Mutawa
Since 1998, Asmaa Seddiq Al-Mutawa, from the United Arab Emirates, has dedicated her time to Read More

Avni Doshi
Avni Doshi was born in New Jersey and is currently based in Dubai. She won the Tibor Jones Read More

Bashayer Arif
LitFest Launchpad author Bashayer Arif is an Emirati writer, and The Secret Life of Dubai’s Read More

Bolu Babalola
Bolu Babalola is a London-based writer, and lover of love. In 2016, she was shortlisted in Read More

Clare Mackintosh
Clare Mackintosh is the multi-award-winning author of four Sunday Times bestselling novels. Her Read More

Dana Dajani
Dana Dajani is an award-winning Palestinian writer, performer, and advocate. She lives and Read More

Danabelle Gutierrez
Danabelle Gutierrez is a writer, actress, and photographer. She is one of Illustrado’s Read More

Derek Owusu
Derek Owusu is a writer and poet from north London. He discovered his passion for literature at Read More

Dr. Rafia Ghubash
Dr. Rafia Ghubash is the first qualified psychiatrist in the UAE. She conducted pioneering Read More

Ebtisam Al-Beiti
Ebtisam Al-Beiti is an early years professional who has had a passion for education since her Read More

Edward Brooke-Hitching

Elif Shafak
Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish novelist. She writes in both Turkish and Read More

Fadi Zaghmout
Fadi Zaghmout is a Jordanian author and gender activist. He holds an MA in Creative Writing and Read More

Fatima Albreiki
Fatima Albreiki is a writer, critic and researcher from the United Arab Emirates, and the Read More

Ghaith Hassan Al Hosani
Ghaith Hassan Alhosani is from Khorfakkan City, Sharjah, UAE, and graduated in public relations Read More

Dr Habib Al Mulla
Dr Habib Al Mulla is one of the UAE’s most renowned legal personalities. With more than 35 Read More

Hafsa Lodi
Hafsa Lodi is an American journalist who has been covering fashion in the Middle East for the Read More

Hamad Al Hammadi
Hamad Al Hammadi is an Emirati writer awarded the UAE Pioneers Award in 2016 as the first Read More

HE Hala Badri
In April 2019, Her Excellency Hala Badri was appointed as the Director General of Dubai Culture Read More

HE Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri
Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri was born in 1961 and serves as the Director General of Read More

Heather Grace
Heather Grace writes poetry on the run, in between listening to her existentialist six-year-old Read More

Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi
Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi is the UAE’s Minister of Culture and Youth since July 2020, where Read More

Hisham El Kheshen
Hisham El Kheshen is an Egyptian civil engineer and novelist born in 1963 who holds an MBA from Read More

Houriya Altaheri
Houriya Al Taheri is an Emirati sportsperson, FIFA coach and instructor, and businesswoman. She Read More

Huda Hamed
Omani author Huda Hamed holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic literature from Aleppo University, Read More

Immanuel Kim
Immanuel Kim is Korea Foundation and Kim-Renaud Associate Professor of Korean Literature and Read More

Isabel Thomas
Isabel Thomas is a science writer and author of more than 150 books about science and nature Read More

Jay Jayamohan
Jay Jayamohan is a Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. Read More

Jessica Jarlvi
Jessica Jarlvi’s debut novel, When I Wake Up, was selected “Book of the Year” by Magrudys in Read More

Johannes Els
Johannes Els is the head of the Herpetology and Freshwater Fish Department at the Breeding Read More

Jojo Chappell
Jojo, Founder of Jojos Art House, is an artist and happiness guru with a passion for combining Read More

Julia Johnson
Julia Johnson has read stories on radio and TV, narrated stories for audio-book companies, run Read More

Lemn Sissay
Lemn Sissay is a BAFTA-nominated, award-winning writer and broadcaster. He has authored Read More

Luigi Bonomi
Luigi Bonomi is a literary agent who has launched the careers of many bestselling authors. He Read More

Maitha Al Khayat
Maitha Al Khayat is an international children’s author and illustrator from the UAE. With 170 Read More

Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist, student, UN Messenger of Peace and the youngest Read More

Max Stanton
Born in Botswana, Max Stanton – also known as Max of Arabia – spent his formative years Read More

Michael Lynes
LitFest Launchpad author Michael Lynes writes historical mysteries and has a particular Read More

Mimi Nicklin
Mimi Nicklin is the internationally bestselling author of Softening The Edge and the host of Read More

Mohamed Al Marzooqi
Mohamed Al Marzooqi is an Emirati writer interested in cultural and literary affairs. He has Read More

Mohammed Al Murr
Mohammed Ahmad Mohammad Al Murr Al Falasi (born 1955 in Dubai) is a short-story writer from the Read More

Mounir El Hayek
Mounir El Hayek is a Lebanese novelist who has published three novels: Dubai Metro in Read More

Nafea Alyasi
Nafea Alyasi is a doctor and writer from the United Arab Emirates. He holds a BA in general Read More

Nasser Iraq
Nasser Iraq is an Egyptian novelist and writer born in 1961. He has published ten novels since Read More

Obada Takla
Syrian writer and director Obada Takla holds a bachelor’s in law from Damascus University and Read More

Oyinkan Braithwaite
Oyinkan Braithwaite is a graduate of Creative Writing and Law from Kingston University. Read More

Padmini Sankar
LitFest Launchpad speaker Padmini Sankar, a short-story writer and author, has lived in Dubai Read More

Priyanka Pradhan
LitFest Launchpad speaker Priyanka Pradhan is a Dubai-based journalist with experience of 13 Read More

Ranganath Subramoney
Ranganath Subramoney, aka Ranga, is a true global citizen. With his roots in a traditional Read More

Rehan Khan
An avid observer of history and the many cross-cultural connections it unearths, Rehan Khan has Read More

Rupy Aujla
Dr Rupy Aujla, MBBS,BSc, MRCGP, is an NHS GP working in Emergency Medicine and completing a Read More

Saba Karim Khan
LitFest Launchpad author Saba Karim Khan is an author, award-winning filmmaker and educator, Read More

Sam Copeland
Sam Copeland is an author, which has come as something of a shock to him. He is from Manchester Read More

Sarah Almehairi
Sarah Almehairi was born in Abu Dhabi in 1998, where she currently lives and works. She Read More

Satyarth Nayak
Satyarth Nayak is an author and screenwriter based in Mumbai. A former SAARC Award winning Read More

Selim Batti
Selim Batti is a writer, translator and literary critic. His works include the novels I Will Read More

Shahana Raza
LitFest Launchpad author Shahana Raza is the granddaughter of Saeeda Bano, the first female Read More

Shamma Al Bastaki
Award-winning poet and artist Shamma Al Bastaki graduated from NYU Abu Dhabi with a double Read More

Shan Romeo Chauhan
LitFest Launchpad author Shan Romeo Chauhan was born in the UK and has lived in Dubai since the Read More

Sherif Arafa
Sherif Arafa is a self-development author, editorial cartoonist and public speaker. He holds an Read More

Simar Halwany
Simar Halwany is a Lebanese visual artist specialised in painting with oil, acrylic, pastel and Read More

Stephanie Robert
Stephanie Robert has a degree in psychology from the University of Ottawa, Canada. She has a Read More

Sultan Al Ameemi
Sultan Al Ameemi is an Emirati writer, researcher and storyteller who has published twenty-two Read More

Talal Salim Alsaabri
Talal Salim Alsaabri is an Emirati poet and journalist. He has participated in many poetry Read More

Taleb Alrefai
Taleb Alrefai is a Kuwaiti novelist, storyteller and cultural advisor to Kuwait’s National Read More

Tamim Hnaidi
A Syrian writer living in UAE, Tamim Hnaidi has published a number of stories and articles in Read More

Thomas Erikson
Thomas Erikson is a Swedish behavioural expert, lecturer, and bestselling author. He has Read More

Victoria Montgomery Brown
Victoria R. Montgomery Brown is CEO and co-founder of Big Think, the knowledge company that Read More

Walaa Kamal
Walaa Kamal is an Egyptian writer and translator born in the UK in 1984. During his university Read More

Zayed AlMarzooqi
Zayed AlMarzooqi is an Emirati writer who published his first two Read More

Zeina Hashem Beck
Zeina Hashem Beck is a Lebanese poet. Her third full-length poetry collection, O, will be Read More

Ziauddin Yousafzai
Ziauddin Yousafzai is a Pakistani education activist is best known as the father of Malala Read More

Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin
Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin is an acclaimed Sudanese novelist and short story writer, whose many Read More

Abdulsalam Haykal
Abdulsalam Haykal is the CEO of Haykal Group, which has been based in Abu Dhabi since 2013. The Read More

Afra Atiq
Dr Afra Atiq is an Emirati scholar and poet. She has a completed her PhD in Media and Creative Read More

Afra Mahmood
Afra Mahmood is an Emirati writer whose a short story collection White Bed was published in Read More

Ahlam Bolooki
Ahlam Bolooki is the Director of the Emirates Festival of Literature – the Middle East’s Read More

Alia Al Shamsi
Alia Al Shamsi is an Emirati-Italian author, poet and photographer. She has a Bachelor’s degree Read More

Allison K Williams
Allison K Williams is the author of Get Published in Literary Magazines and Seven Drafts: Read More

Amal Alsahlawi
Amal Alsahlawi is an Emirati poet who studied Arabic literature at the University of Sharjah Read More

Ameera BuKadra
Ameera BuKadra is an Emirati author for children and young adults who holds a bachelor’s Read More

Amin Maalouf
Amin Maalouf was born in Beirut. He studied economics and sociology and then worked as an Read More

Andy Fieldhouse
Team coach and author Andy Fieldhouse is a man with a mission: to help people get teamwork Read More

Annabel Kantaria
In 2013, Annabel Kantaria won the inaugural Montegrappa Writing Prize at the Emirates Airline Read More

Arqam
Born and raised in the UAE, with roots in Oman and Zanzibar, Arqam is a young Emarati soul Read More

Arthur de Oliveira
Arthur de Oliveira is a filmmaker, poet, theater practitioner, and artist from Limeira, São Read More

Ashley Green
Originally from Scotland, Ashley Green now teaches in Dubai and has done for ten years. Read More

Asmaa Seddiq Al-Mutawa
Since 1998, Asmaa Seddiq Al-Mutawa, from the United Arab Emirates, has dedicated her time to Read More

Avni Doshi
Avni Doshi was born in New Jersey and is currently based in Dubai. She won the Tibor Jones Read More

Bashayer Arif
LitFest Launchpad author Bashayer Arif is an Emirati writer, and The Secret Life of Dubai’s Read More

Bolu Babalola
Bolu Babalola is a London-based writer, and lover of love. In 2016, she was shortlisted in Read More


Clare Mackintosh
Clare Mackintosh is the multi-award-winning author of four Sunday Times bestselling novels. Her Read More

Dana Dajani
Dana Dajani is an award-winning Palestinian writer, performer, and advocate. She lives and Read More

Danabelle Gutierrez
Danabelle Gutierrez is a writer, actress, and photographer. She is one of Illustrado’s Read More

Derek Owusu
Derek Owusu is a writer and poet from north London. He discovered his passion for literature at Read More


Dr. Rafia Ghubash
Dr. Rafia Ghubash is the first qualified psychiatrist in the UAE. She conducted pioneering Read More

Ebtisam Al-Beiti
Ebtisam Al-Beiti is an early years professional who has had a passion for education since her Read More

Edward Brooke-Hitching

Elif Shafak
Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish novelist. She writes in both Turkish and Read More

Fadi Zaghmout
Fadi Zaghmout is a Jordanian author and gender activist. He holds an MA in Creative Writing and Read More


Fatima Albreiki
Fatima Albreiki is a writer, critic and researcher from the United Arab Emirates, and the Read More

Ghaith Hassan Al Hosani
Ghaith Hassan Alhosani is from Khorfakkan City, Sharjah, UAE, and graduated in public relations Read More

Dr Habib Al Mulla
Dr Habib Al Mulla is one of the UAE’s most renowned legal personalities. With more than 35 Read More

Hafsa Lodi
Hafsa Lodi is an American journalist who has been covering fashion in the Middle East for the Read More

Hamad Al Hammadi
Hamad Al Hammadi is an Emirati writer awarded the UAE Pioneers Award in 2016 as the first Read More

HE Hala Badri
In April 2019, Her Excellency Hala Badri was appointed as the Director General of Dubai Culture Read More

HE Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri
Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri was born in 1961 and serves as the Director General of Read More


Heather Grace
Heather Grace writes poetry on the run, in between listening to her existentialist six-year-old Read More

Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi
Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi is the UAE’s Minister of Culture and Youth since July 2020, where Read More

Hisham El Kheshen
Hisham El Kheshen is an Egyptian civil engineer and novelist born in 1963 who holds an MBA from Read More

Houriya Altaheri
Houriya Al Taheri is an Emirati sportsperson, FIFA coach and instructor, and businesswoman. She Read More

Huda Hamed
Omani author Huda Hamed holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic literature from Aleppo University, Read More

Immanuel Kim
Immanuel Kim is Korea Foundation and Kim-Renaud Associate Professor of Korean Literature and Read More

Isabel Thomas
Isabel Thomas is a science writer and author of more than 150 books about science and nature Read More

Jay Jayamohan
Jay Jayamohan is a Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. Read More

Jessica Jarlvi
Jessica Jarlvi’s debut novel, When I Wake Up, was selected “Book of the Year” by Magrudys in Read More

Johannes Els
Johannes Els is the head of the Herpetology and Freshwater Fish Department at the Breeding Read More

Jojo Chappell
Jojo, Founder of Jojos Art House, is an artist and happiness guru with a passion for combining Read More

Julia Johnson
Julia Johnson has read stories on radio and TV, narrated stories for audio-book companies, run Read More


Lemn Sissay
Lemn Sissay is a BAFTA-nominated, award-winning writer and broadcaster. He has authored Read More

Luigi Bonomi
Luigi Bonomi is a literary agent who has launched the careers of many bestselling authors. He Read More

Maitha Al Khayat
Maitha Al Khayat is an international children’s author and illustrator from the UAE. With 170 Read More

Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist, student, UN Messenger of Peace and the youngest Read More


Max Stanton
Born in Botswana, Max Stanton – also known as Max of Arabia – spent his formative years Read More

Michael Lynes
LitFest Launchpad author Michael Lynes writes historical mysteries and has a particular Read More

Mimi Nicklin
Mimi Nicklin is the internationally bestselling author of Softening The Edge and the host of Read More

Mohamed Al Marzooqi
Mohamed Al Marzooqi is an Emirati writer interested in cultural and literary affairs. He has Read More

Mohammed Al Murr
Mohammed Ahmad Mohammad Al Murr Al Falasi (born 1955 in Dubai) is a short-story writer from the Read More

Mounir El Hayek
Mounir El Hayek is a Lebanese novelist who has published three novels: Dubai Metro in Read More

Nafea Alyasi
Nafea Alyasi is a doctor and writer from the United Arab Emirates. He holds a BA in general Read More

Nasser Iraq
Nasser Iraq is an Egyptian novelist and writer born in 1961. He has published ten novels since Read More

Obada Takla
Syrian writer and director Obada Takla holds a bachelor’s in law from Damascus University and Read More

Oyinkan Braithwaite
Oyinkan Braithwaite is a graduate of Creative Writing and Law from Kingston University. Read More

Padmini Sankar
LitFest Launchpad speaker Padmini Sankar, a short-story writer and author, has lived in Dubai Read More

Priyanka Pradhan
LitFest Launchpad speaker Priyanka Pradhan is a Dubai-based journalist with experience of 13 Read More

Ranganath Subramoney
Ranganath Subramoney, aka Ranga, is a true global citizen. With his roots in a traditional Read More

Rehan Khan
An avid observer of history and the many cross-cultural connections it unearths, Rehan Khan has Read More

Rupy Aujla
Dr Rupy Aujla, MBBS,BSc, MRCGP, is an NHS GP working in Emergency Medicine and completing a Read More

Saba Karim Khan
LitFest Launchpad author Saba Karim Khan is an author, award-winning filmmaker and educator, Read More

Sam Copeland
Sam Copeland is an author, which has come as something of a shock to him. He is from Manchester Read More

Sarah Almehairi
Sarah Almehairi was born in Abu Dhabi in 1998, where she currently lives and works. She Read More

Satyarth Nayak
Satyarth Nayak is an author and screenwriter based in Mumbai. A former SAARC Award winning Read More

Selim Batti
Selim Batti is a writer, translator and literary critic. His works include the novels I Will Read More

Shahana Raza
LitFest Launchpad author Shahana Raza is the granddaughter of Saeeda Bano, the first female Read More

Shamma Al Bastaki
Award-winning poet and artist Shamma Al Bastaki graduated from NYU Abu Dhabi with a double Read More

Shan Romeo Chauhan
LitFest Launchpad author Shan Romeo Chauhan was born in the UK and has lived in Dubai since the Read More

Sherif Arafa
Sherif Arafa is a self-development author, editorial cartoonist and public speaker. He holds an Read More

Simar Halwany
Simar Halwany is a Lebanese visual artist specialised in painting with oil, acrylic, pastel and Read More

Stephanie Robert
Stephanie Robert has a degree in psychology from the University of Ottawa, Canada. She has a Read More

Sultan Al Ameemi
Sultan Al Ameemi is an Emirati writer, researcher and storyteller who has published twenty-two Read More

Talal Salim Alsaabri
Talal Salim Alsaabri is an Emirati poet and journalist. He has participated in many poetry Read More

Taleb Alrefai
Taleb Alrefai is a Kuwaiti novelist, storyteller and cultural advisor to Kuwait’s National Read More

Tamim Hnaidi
A Syrian writer living in UAE, Tamim Hnaidi has published a number of stories and articles in Read More

Thomas Erikson
Thomas Erikson is a Swedish behavioural expert, lecturer, and bestselling author. He has Read More

Victoria Montgomery Brown
Victoria R. Montgomery Brown is CEO and co-founder of Big Think, the knowledge company that Read More

Walaa Kamal
Walaa Kamal is an Egyptian writer and translator born in the UK in 1984. During his university Read More

Zayed AlMarzooqi
Zayed AlMarzooqi is an Emirati writer who published his first two Read More

Zeina Hashem Beck
Zeina Hashem Beck is a Lebanese poet. Her third full-length poetry collection, O, will be Read More

Ziauddin Yousafzai
Ziauddin Yousafzai is a Pakistani education activist is best known as the father of Malala Read More