RISE Bookselling Conference 2023
Ever wondered what bookselling looks like in other countries? Do booksellers around the world face the same challenges as you? What can you learn from your foreign colleagues’ experiences? Come to Prague on 19th and 20th March 2023 and find out!
Programme
Saturday 18th March 2023
Get to know Prague’s literary history and bookshops through a dedicated cultural programme from 14.30, followed by some networking over a beer or two!
Sunday 19th March 2023
9.30 - 9.50
Welcome coffee
10.00 - 11.00
Welcome words
FABIAN PAAGMAN and JEAN-LUC TREUTENAERE, EIBF Co-Presidents
JULIE BELGRADO, EIBF Director
Welcome video
GEORG HAEUSLER, Director
Culture, Creativity and Sport
DG EAC, European Commission
Morning Keynote
MALIN PERSSON GIOLITO, Author of Störst av allt ('Quicksand')
Introduced by Maria Hamrefors, President of the Swedish Booksellers Association
11.00 - 11.20
Coffee break
11.30 - 12.15
Green bookselling: From the printer to your bookshelves
AMBER HARRISON (UK)
(FOLDE BOOKSHOP)
MINNA KOKKA (FI)
(BOOKSELLER, SUOMALAINEN KIRJAKAUPPA OY)
MATHIJS SUIDMAN (NL)
(CENTRAAL BOEKHUIS)
Moderated by Meryl Halls, Managing Director of the BA of UK and Ireland
Bookshop day/week: How to start one? How to manage one?
EVELINE AENDEKERK (NL) (CPNB)
EMMA BRADSHAW (UK)
(BA UK & IRELAND)
Moderated by Maria Hamrefors, President of the Swedish Booksellers Association
Stocking and curating: What can we learn from existing models? Are they exportable?
FEDERICO LANG (ES)
(LIBRERÍA LUCES, CEGAL)
LAURA DE HEREDIA (FR)
(SYNDICAT DE LA LIBRAIRIE FRANÇAISE)
DANNY CAINE (US)
(RAVEN BOOK STORE, ABA)
Moderated by Nina Stavisky, Secretary General,
ALIRE
Meet your bookmate: Booksellers from different countries who made the request ahead of the conference will be paired up and given time to enjoy a coffee together
12.30 - 13.30
Lunch
13.30 - 14.15
Representation matters: How to create a diverse and inclusive bookshop?
MAIRI OLIVER (UK)
(LIGHTHOUSE BOOKSHOP)
ASHA GRANT (US)
(SALT EATERS BOOKSHOP)
MILI HERNÁNDEZ (ES)
(LIBRERIA BERKANA)
Moderated by Daniel Martín Brennan, Policy Advisor, EIBF
The Lesemotive project: Rethinking your display using artificial intelligence
IRIS HUNSCHEID (DE)
(BUCHHANDLUNG HOFFMANN)
RONALD SCHILD (DE)
(MVB)
Data under the spotlight: An introduction to the Italian book market
BARBARA HOEPLI (IT)
(HOEPLI LIBRERIA)
Meet your bookmate: Booksellers from different countries who made the request ahead of the conference will be paired up and given time to enjoy a coffee together
14.30 - 15.15
Afternoon keynote
LAWRENCE SCHIMEL, Author of Bedtime, Not Playtime! and Early One Morning
Introduced by Daniel Martín Brennan, EIBF Policy Advisor
15.15 - 15.30
Coffee break
15.40 - 16.25
Social media: How to make the most of BookTok?
DEBORAH AMOLINI (CH)
(SBVV)
BRITT OP DE LAAK (NL)
(PAAGMAN BOEKHANDELS)
KATRĪNA DŽOŠARE (LV)
(JĀNIS ROZE)
Moderated by Alice Hříbalová Communications Assistant, EIBF
Online sales platform: What can we learn from existing models? Are they exportable?
JESÚS TRUEBA (ES)
(TODOSTUSLIBROS)
DANNY CAINE (US)
(RAVEN BOOK STORE)
JAN PETER PRENGER (NL)
(LIBRIS)
Moderated by Fabian Paagman, EIBF Co-President, CEO, Paagman Boekhandels
Selling children’s books: Tips and tricks to do it differently
HELEN TAMBLYN (UK)
(WONDERLAND BOOKSHOP)
EIJA LIETOFF (SE)
(LÄSLUSEN BOOKSHOP)
DESSISLAVA ALEXIEVA (BG)
(FOX BOOK CAFÉ)
Moderated by Gráinne O’Brien, Bookseller,
O'Mahony's
Return or not return? Insights across borders
JURAJ HEGER (SK)
(SLOVART)
LAURA KARLSSON (FI)
(FINNISH BA, KIRJAKAUPPALIITTO)
MATHIJS SUIDMAN (NL)
(CENTRAAL BOEKHUIS)
Moderator: Jean-Luc Treutenaere, Co-President, EIBF
16.40 - 17.20
End of the day keynote
ROBIN INCE, Comedian, Broadcaster and Author of Bibliomaniac
Introduced by Meryl Halls, Managing Director of the BA of UK and Ireland
18.15 - 19.30
Drink reception
19.30
Dinner
Monday 20th March 2023
9.00 – 09.20
Welcome coffee
09.30 – 10.10
Keynote speech
HANNAH GOLD, Author of The Last Bear and The Lost Whale
Introduced by Julie Belgrado, EIBF Director
10.10 – 10.30
Coffee break
10.40 – 11.25
Develop your events offer: What works these days and what will work tomorrow
BRID CONROY (IE)
(TERTULIA BOOKSHOP)
RALUCA SELEJAN (RO)
(LA DOUĂ BUFNIŢE)
JAN VERHAGEN (NL)
(VAN PIERE BOEKHANDEL)
Moderator: Tora Åsling, Policy Assistant, EIBF
How to respond to global challenges: practical tips for booksellers
ANNE SCHIØTZ (NO)
(NORWEGIAN BA, DEN NORSKE BOKHANDLERFORENING)
ANNE SCHROËN (NL)
(DUTCH BA, KBb)
VERONIKA MICHALOVA (SK) (ARTFORUM)
Moderator: Jessica Sänger, Director for European and International affairs, Börsenverein
Manga and graphic novels: Users’ guide
TANAÏS BEAUFILS (FR)
(SUPER HÉROS)
KRISTĪNE PĪKENENA (LV)
(JĀNIS ROZE)
GABRIELLA GOMEZ (SE)
(SCIENCE FICTION
BOKHANDELN)
Moderated by Nina Stavisky, Secretary General,
ALIRE
Sustainable development goals (SDGs): Raising awareness through books
HANNAH GOLD (UK)
(AUTHOR)
KRISTINA KRAMER (DE)
(BÖRSENVEREIN)
AMBER HARRISON (UK)
(FOLDE BOOKSHOP)
Moderated by: Julie Belgrado, Director,
EIBF
11.40 – 12.20
Author in conversation
LANA BASTAŠIĆ, Author of Uhvati zeca ('Catch the Rabbit')
In conversation with Maarten Dessing, Freelance Journalist
12.30 - 13.30
Lunch
13.45 - 14.30
Innovative ideas for your bookshop: What else can you offer your customers?
NIC BOTTOMLEY (UK)
(MISTER B's EMPORIUM)
AUDE FARÈS (FR)
(LE CHAMEAU SAUVAGE)
TEREZA PAŘÍZKOVÁ (CZ)
(ZLATÁ VELRYBA)
Moderated by Raluca Selejan, Bookseller, La Două Bufniţe Bookshop
Local partnerships: Which one of your neighbourhood retailers are you working with?
TERHI JÄÄSKELÄINEN (FI)
(NIDE BOOKSHOP)
AUDE BOLECHALA (UK)
(NOMAD BOOKS)
MARIA MEIBOHM (DE)
(GRAFF BUCHHANDLUNG)
Moderated by Maarten Dessing, Freelance Journalist
Data under the spotlight: An introduction to the Czech book market
ANNA ŠTIČKOVÁ AND VERONIKA BENEŠOVÁ HUDEČKOVÁ (CZ)
Co-Founders of AMANAK, the (Czech) Association of Small Publishers and Booksellers
Upgrading your backlist: Tips and tricks to make the most out of it
ANDY BROMLEY (UK)
(INGRAM)
GRETSKE DE JONG (NL)
(SCHELTEMA)
BARBARA HOEPLI (IT)
(HOEPLI LIBRERIA)
Moderated by Hazel Broadfoot, Bookseller,
Village Books
14.30 - 14.50
Coffee break
15.00 – 15.40
Closing keynote
SHAUN BYTHELL, Author of The Diary of a Bookseller
In conversation with Iris Hunscheidt, Bookseller, Buchhandlung Hoffmann
15.45
Closing words and drinks
Our speakers
Sunday speakers
KEYNOTES
Malin Persson Giolito
Author
Malin Persson Giolito has published four bestselling suspense novels, including three featuring her beloved heroine Sophia Weber. Her break-out stand-alone novel Quicksand was published by Wahlström & Widstrand in June 2016 and has become one of the most bestselling contemporary suspense novels of all time in Sweden. It has been translated into 32 languages and was awarded the Best Crime Novel of the Year Award 2016, Sweden’s official suspense literature award, which is given by the Swedish Crime Writers’ Academy.
Lawrence Schimel
Author
Lawrence has published over 120 books in a wide range of genres as an author or anthologist, and has translated over 140 books. He has won the Lambda Literary Award (twice), a PEN Translates Award from English PEN (three times), a Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, and has been chosen for IBBY's Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities three times.
Robin Ince
Comedian, Broadcaster, Author
Robin Ince is many things. A comedian, an author, a broadcaster, a bibliomaniac and a populariser of scientific ideas. The Guardian once declared him a ‘becardiganed polymath’ which seems about right. His latest book, Bibliomaniac: An Obsessive's Tour of the Bookshops of Britain is Robin’s love letter to books and independent bookshops. In 2022 he was awarded the Booksellers Association Author of the Year award.
SUNDAY SESSION SPEAKERS
Amber Harrison
Co-founder
FOLDE Bookshop
Amber is a member of the Booksellers Association Green Taskforce, and spoke on a joint panel on sustainability in the book trade as part of the James Cropper Wainwright Prize 2022. Amber also maintains a role as a senior sustainability advisor.
Asha Grant
Educator and independent bookstore owner
The Salt Eaters Bookshop
During the pandemic, Asha created a physical space for the LA chapter of the Free Black Women's Library, which she founded and directs, and crowdfunded over $80,000 to open The Salt Eaters Bookshop, an independent bookshop dedicated to creating a Black Feminist literary hub.
Barbara Hoepli
Publisher and Bookseller
Hoepli Libreria
Barbara Hoepli is a publisher and bookseller. Chairman at HOEPLI Publishing House and bookseller at HOEPLI – International Bookstore in Milan and e-commerce hoepli.it, family book-businesses with 100 book-employees in the heart of Milan, Italy.
In the past, she was the President of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Italy, and the Italian Jury President of EUPL 2019.
She loves books and Europe.
Britt op de Laak
Content Marketeer
Paagman Boekhandels
At Paagman we inspire our customers digitally through our newsletters (80,000 email addresses), Instagram (6,000 followers), Facebook (8,500 followers), TikTok (1,200 followers), the Paagman Tipt Boeken Podcast (300 monthly listeners).
Danny Caine
Co-owner
Raven Book Store
Danny Caine is a co-owner of the Raven Book Store, Publishers Weekly's 2022 bookstore of the year. He is also the author of the poetry collections Continental Breakfast, El Dorado Freddy's, Flavortown, and Picture Window, as well as the book How to Resist Amazon and Why.
Deborah Amolini
Social-Media editor
SBVV
Deborah Amolini started an internship at the Swiss Booksellers and Publishers Association SBVV with a focus on communication and membership. Since 2022 she works as Social-Media editor at the SBVV. “TikTok allows bookstores to reach a young audience. Nevertheless, the work that has to be put in should not be underestimated.”
Dessislava Alexieva
Founder, Fox Book Café; President,
Bulgarian Book Association
Dessi Alexieva is passionate about Children's books and Early Childhood development. In 2018 she created FOX book cafe - a bookstore and a cultural centre in Sofia with a focus on children's books and events for kids and parents. Dessi is also the President of the Bulgarian Book Association.
Eija Lietoff
Founder
Läslusen Bookshop
What could be more important than children’s learning and experiences? Eija set up an independent children’s book shop, Läslusen for children between 0-12 years. Läslusen has always aimed to find new creative ways to reach out to our community.
Emma Bradshaw
Head of Campaigns
Booksellers Association of UK and Ireland
Emma and her team look after all of the Books Are My Bag consumer-facing campaigns, including Bookshop Day, the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards, Indie Book of the Month, the Indie Book Awards and Independent Bookshop Week.
Eveline Aendekerk
Executive Director
CPNB
Eveline Aendekerk has a background in business transformation, digital marketing and behavioral change marketing. Since 2018 she is the executive director of CPNB, the marketing and PR agency of the Dutch book market. She holds various supervisory board roles in the education and cultural field.
Fabian Paagman
Co-President, EIBF; CEO,
Paagam Boekhandels
Fabian Paagman has been involved in EIBF since 2012, the past 9 years in the position of Co-President. He is the Managing Director of Paagman bookstores in The Netherlands: a group of five bookstores in the region of The Hague. Together with his sister, he forms the third generation of owners of this family-business that was founded over 70 years ago.
Federico Lang
Key Account Manager
Librería Luces
Federico has worked in publishing for the past 20 years, first at Oxford University Press and McGraw-Hill. In 2008 I started working at Librería Luces where I am currently Key Account Manager. I work with CEGAL (Spanish BA) to develop and strengthen relationships with EIBF and other booksellers associations in other countries.
Gráinne O'Brien
Children's Book Buyer
O'Mahonys Bookshop
Gráinne O'Brien is a writer and the children's book buyer for O'Mahony's booksellers, a role she has proudly held for almost ten years. She passionately believes that the future of booksellers is rooted in how we nurture the love of reading in children by focusing on their future and leaving behind our past.
Helen Tamblyn-Saville
Owner
Wonderland Bookshop
Complete with an upside down tea-party hanging from the ceiling, Wonderland is known as being a children's bookshop with a difference, and Helen is passionate about children's literature believing that every child and young adult should have access to books and that the bookshop experience should be something to remember.
Inese Katrīna Džošare
Store Manager
Jānis Roze Bookstore
Reading books for Inese Katrīna Džošare has been a deepest passion as long as she remembers herself. She believes that books are our best friends, advisors, teachers and entertainers. 5 years ago it seemed best to make a most logical step and become a bookseller. Since then she has been working in 4 different branches of Janis Roze Bookstore.
Iris Hunscheid
Owner
Buchhandlung Hoffmann
Together with her husband she owns two retail book shops in Germany, one near Bremen and one in Bonn. They are both retail shops with general assortments with only a few specialized sections. She is also the Chairwoman of the independent bookseller’s forum – representing about 500 smaller independent bookshops.
Jan Peter Prengen
Purchasing Manager
Libris
Jan Peter Prenger (1970) works in the booktrade since the early nineties. Right after finishing his studies in Dutch Language & Literature he started working in the largest bookshop in the eastern part of Holland. After a couple of years he took on the job of account manager for Van Ditmar Bookimport. Since 2008 he works as a purchasing manager for Libris Blz., which is the largest organisation for independent bookshops in Holland, with over 200 bookshops as a member. He lives in the Eastern part of Holland, with his wife, son and Persian cat James.
Jean-Luc Treutenaere
Co-President
EIBF
Jean-Luc Treutenaere is one of EIBF’s two Co-Presidents, a position he has held since 2014. For the past 25 years, he has worked for Cultura, a chain with over 100 bookstores in France & Belgium, under various roles, from Product Manager to, most recently, Director of External Relations. He is also a former President of the French SDLC (Syndicat des Distributeurs de Loisirs Culturel).
Jesús Trueba
Founder
Todostuslibros.com
Publisher at Plot Ediciones and founder of La Buena Vida Bookshop in Madrid, named with the National Cultural Bookshop Award. He directs de Development Office of the web platform todostuslibros.com for the Confederation Of Spanish Guilds and Bookstores Associations.
Juraj Heger
Chairman, Slovak Association of Publishers and Booksellers; Publisher, Slovart
Juraj Heger is chairman of the Slovak Association of Publishers and Booksellers, since 1991 publisher at Slovart, one of the bigger publishers in Slovakia, publishing books in both Slovak and Czech languages as well as distributing English language books to the trade in both Slovak and Czech Republics.
Kristīne Pīkenena
Store Manager
Jānis Roze Bookstore
In a decade spent as bookseller, Kristīne Pīkenena has made a gazillion of book recommendations, copies sold probably a bit less, travelled 5467 km for various bookseller exchange events, spent 291 hours with her curated book club "Total Cover", lost her heart to multiple fictional characters, and is not very good with numbers.
Laura De Heredia
Chargée de mission
Syndicat de la librairie française
Co-founder of the Paris Librairies booksellers association, she is now in charge of the “Observatoire” and digital matters at the French booksellers’ association Syndicat de la librairie française (SLF). She is also in charge of the sustainability commission for the SLF and an active member of the “association pour l’écologie du livre” working on more sustainability in the French book industry.
Laura Karlsson
Director
Finnish Booksellers Association, 'Kirjakauppaliitto'
The Finnish BA acts to improve the business environment of Finnish bookstores and their interests by lobbying and offering information and research, in cooperation with administrative organizations, decision-makers and other relevant operators in the field. Kirjakauppaliitto represents about 90 % of Finnish Booksellers in brickand-mortar, webshops and streaming services.
Mairi Oliver
Owner/ Bookseller
Lighthouse Bookshop
Mairi Oliver runs the award-winning Lighthouse: Edinburgh's Radical Bookshop; a queer, feminist, anti-racist community bookshop. Lighthouse hosts and organises Edinburgh's annual Book Fringe and Radical Book Fair as well as a year-round events programme that welcomes dozens of writers & activists.
Maria Hamrefors
President
Swedish Booksellers Association, 'Svenska Bokhandlareföreningen'
Maria Hamrefors was appointed chairwoman of the Swedish Booksellers Association in 2019 after a long career in the book industry. Previous positions include CEO of Akademibokhandeln, CEO of Bokus, CEO of Norstedts Publishing Group, CEO of Thomson Corp in Sweden and director of Sweet & Maxwell Group in the UK. She is also the treasurer of EIBF and a member of the EIBF executive committee.
Mathijs Suidman
Commercial Director of Media Distribution
Centraal Boekhuis
Responsible for strategy, product management and sales of Centraal Boekhuis’ (CB) media distribution business (both digital and printed media). CB is the leading service provider in book distribution in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Meryl Halls
Managing Director
Booksellers Association of UK and Ireland
Meryl Halls has been the Managing Director of the Booksellers Association since April 2018. Her career at the Booksellers Association began with event and conference management, later becoming Head of Membership Services, responsible for establishing programmes and campaigns, including the Independent Booksellers Forum, Independent Bookshop Week, the Books Are My Bag campaign, the Children’s and Christian Bookselling Groups, Irish and Scottish initiatives and other BA events.
Mili Hernandez
Bookseller and publisher
Librería Berkana
Bookseller, publisher and activist. Mili founded Berkana, the first LGTBQ+ bookshop in Spain and Latin America in 1993. In 1995, together with the owners of the bookshop Cómplices, Helle Bruun and Connie Dagas, she created Spain's first LGBTQ+ publishing house, Egales. She is also a former President of the National Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Transsexuals and Bisexuals (FLGTB).
Minna Kokka
CEO, Suomalainen Kirjakauppa; President, Finnish Booksellers Association, 'Kirjakauppaliitto'
CEO of Suomalainen Kirjakauppa ('Finnish bookshop') with 400 sales experts in 56 shops located at high traffic shopping malls and brick & morter. Minna has 20 year Work history from three publishing houses, two book printers and now bookshop chain working as CEO, Sales Director and Production Manager.
Ronald Schild
Managing Director
MVB
Ronald Schild has been managing director of the technology and information provider MVB in Frankfurt am Main since 2006 and is responsible for the business of the subsidiaries MVB US in New York, MVB Brasil in São Paulo, MVB América Latina in Mexico City and MVB UK based in London.
Monday speakers
KEYNOTES
Hannah Gold
Author
Hannah’s inspirational bestselling book, The Last Bear won The Blue Peter Book Award and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in 2022 and is translated into over 24 languages around the world. Her second book, The Lost Whale, was released in March 2022 and is already beloved by both children and teachers.
Shaun Bythell
Author, Bookseller
Shaun Bythell has run Scotland's largest second hand bookshop for 21 years. He has written four books about selling books, and surprisingly, people have bought them. He's not sure if they've read them, though!
Lana Bastašić
Author
Lana Bastašić is a Yugoslav-born writer. She majored in English and holds a master’s degree in cultural studies. She has published three collections of short stories, one book of children’s stories and one of poetry. Her debut novel Catch the Rabbit was shortlisted for the 2019 NIN award and was awarded the 2020 European Union Prize for Literature and the Latisana Prize in Italy.
MONDAY SESSION SPEAKERS
Andy Bromley
Senior Marketing Manager
Ingram Content Group
Andy Bromley has been with Ingram Content Group for over ten years and leads Ingram’s Marketing team in the UK. Prior to Ingram, Andy held both Marketing & Business Development roles with Cambridge University Press and Pearson.
Anna Štičková
Co-founder
AMANAK, (Czech) Association of Small Publishers and Booksellers
Anna has studied literature, creative writing, and management in culture. She is currently studying for a doctorate and teaches at Faculty of Arts at Masaryk University. Anna is dedicated to the book market, independent literature and its actors – publishers, booksellers and book professionals in the Czech Republic. She is devoted to literary production and dramaturgy, writes articles on book traffic and literature, and writes poetry.
Anne Schiøtz
Director
Norwegian Booksellers Association, 'Bokhandlerforeningen'
She has extensive experience in the book industry, which is why since January 2022 she has been the director of Styremedlem PF Kultur, a knowledge network for the exchange of ideas between companies, public administration and applied research in the field of culture. Since March 2022, she is also the director of Fagskolen for bokbransjen, the Norwegian professional book school.
Anne Schroën
Director
Dutch Booksellers Association, 'Koninklijke Boekverkopersbond'
Anne Schroën (1972) started her career in a bookstore in Amsterdam, and moved to publishing after a few years. She worked for several literary houses and was in charge of marketing, sales and finance. In 2016 she returned to the bookstores and worked for a large chain of bookshops in the Netherlands. Since 2018 she was appointed director of the Dutch Booksellers Association. She lives in Amsterdam with her husband and four children.
Aude Bolechala
Manager
Nomad Books
Aude Bolechala is an experienced bookseller specialising in children's book. A French native, she has extensive knowledge of the British and European book market. Having spent nearly 15 years in the book trade, her buying and managing expertise were celebrated when she was shortlisted in the Individual Bookseller of the Year category in the 2019 edition of the British Book Awards, and Nomad in the Children’s Bookseller of the Year category.
Aude Farès
Manager
Le Chameau Sauvage
She trained at the French Ecole de la Librairie (Institut National de Formation des Libraires), before creating the bookshop-cafe Le Chameau sauvage with her husband. Independent, generalist and neighbourhood bookshop, Le Chameau sauvage offers a range of committed books, open to the world and social issues, various cultural workshops, as well as a café-bar area in an atypical and warm place, with a little garden.
Brid Conroy
Co-founder
Tertulia bookshop
Brid Conroy set up Tertulia bookshop in 2019 along with her husband Neil Paul, with a mission to make a positive contribution to the way the world thinks. The vision of Tertulia is to live in a world where every story matters, to live in a world that understands that (our) stories are interconnected. It is this understanding that can help make our world a more equal society.
Gabriella Gomez
Head of Marketing
Science Fiction
Bokhandeln
Once described as "the manga expert with the manga hair", Gabriella Gomez is head of marketing at Sweden's largest bookstore for all things fantastical. Her career journey began with a fortuitous conversation about Sailor Moon in the 00's, followed by years of fandom volunteer work and university courses about graphic novels and animation.
Gretske de Jong
Director
Scheltema Bookstore
Gretske de Jong started her career in the bookstore in 1995 and is now board member of the KBB ( Dutch Booksellers Association) ,chairman of the business association Biz Rokin and treasurer of the Boekhandelsprijs (Dutch Booksellers Literary Award).
Hazel Broadfoot
Owner
Village Books
Hazel studied English at the University of St Andrews and became a bookseller as soon as she graduated. She joined Waterstone’s in its infancy, managing several branches before being appointed to its board. She left to set up her own business and is the owner of Village Books, an award winning independent bookshop in Dulwich. She is also the President of the BA of UK & Ireland.
Raluca Selejan
Co-founder & Managing Partner
La Două Bufnițe
She co-founded and manages La Două Bufnițe with her childhood best friend, Oana Doboși. With over 10 years of experience in branding, communication and organizing of cultural events, she is passionate about books and reading - that is being an Owl by profession.
Nic Bottomley
Co-founder
Mr B's Emporium
Nic Bottomley is the co-owner of Mr B’s Emporium, an award-winning independent bookshop in Bath, UK that he created with his wife Juliette in 2006 (and that was first dreamed up when they lived and worked as lawyers in Prague). He is also a former President and current Executive Chair of the Bookseller’s Association of UK and Ireland.
Nina Stavisky
Secretary General
ALIRE
Nina has specialised in computerised stock management by working for several IT service providers, for the Syndicat de la librairie française and now for ALIRE, of which she is the General Delegate. ALIRE brings together French-speaking booksellers who share the same objective: to develop the use of efficient IT tools, supplied with reliable, up-to-date information at controlled costs.
Jan Verhagen
Director
Van Piere Bookstore
Jan Verhagen (1977) is the director of Van Piere Bookstore, which is based in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. He started this job in 2014, after having worked for 10 years at several publishing companies. Van Piere Bookstore is the largest bookstore in the greater Eindhoven area and is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year.
Jessica Sänger
Director, European and International Affairs
Börsenverein
Dr. Jessica Sänger is Director for European and International Affairs at Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (German publishers and booksellers association). She chairs the International Publishers Association’s Copyright Committee. Ms. Sänger joined Börsenverein in 2008 where she was Deputy Head of the Legal Department from 2011.
Kristina Kramer
Deputy Director
European and International Affairs
Kristina Kramer is Deputy Director for European and International Affairs at Börsenverein. Kristina worked for the Franco-German Youth Office before joining Börsenverein’s team for the organisation of the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in 2010. From 2012 on, she has been focussing her work on public affairs at the asscociation’s Berlin.
Maarten Dessing
Freelance journalist
Maarten Dessing works as a freelance journalist specialized in the book world since 1999. He is affiliated with the Dutch trade journal Boekblad.
Maria Meibohm
Bookseller and publisher
Buchhandlung Graff
Maria Meibohm (34) holds a BA in Cultural Studies and Business from the Leuphana University of Lüneburg. She started working in Berlin for the publishing house Ullstein and moved from there to the prestigious bookstore Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus. In 201,5 she moved to Hamburg to join the publishing house Oetinger, gaining deep insights into the children's book market. In January 2022 she returned to her hometown Braunschweig, and joined the family-owned bookstore Buchhandlung Graff. She is working as a project manager and will take over the business from her father in 2024/2025.
Tanaïs Beaufils
Bookseller
Super Héros
Tanaïs Beaufils is a bookseller at Librairie Super-Héros in Paris and a lifelong manga lover.
Tereza Pařízková
Bookseller, agent and author
Zlatá velryba
Tereza is a children's book writer. She also works as a foreign rights agent and helps children’s books from abroad to be published in translation in Czech and Slovak. In 2019, she and her mum Yvona opened children’s bookshop Zlatá velryba. Tereza runs creative writing classes for children, book clubs, and promotes love for books wherever she can.
Terhi Jääskeläinen
Co-owner
Nide Bookstore
Terhi isresponsible for running three other art book shops in Helsinki, as well: National Gallery Ateneum, Cable Factory, and Korjaamo, a cultural center, Opening Nide Bookstore (meaning 'volume' in Finnish) in 2015. Selling novels and non-fiction both in Finnish and English.
Veronika Benešová Hudečková
Co-founder
AMANAK, (Czech) Association of Small Publishers and Booksellers
Veronika runs her own publishing house, Verzone, which has been publishing art publications, editions of Chinese modern literature, and children's books since 2010. In 2015, she founded the selective bookstore 2veverky in Prague focused on quality children's literature with an emphasis on the production of small publishers. She is one of the founders of the Association of Small Publishers and Booksellers, which strives to improve the position of the smallest entities on the book market.
Veronika Michalová
Bookseller and publisher
Artforum Bratislava
Veronika graduated with an MA from psychology, but books were always her life. Her parents founded a bookstore right after the velvet revolution, and for more than 10 years she is part of this family book business. Artforum consists of a bookshop in Bratislava, 6 franchise bookshops in other Slovak cities, eshop and publishing house. As a manager of translation rights, Veronika gained her first experience in publishing, but for the last five years, her role as managing director of bookshop Artforum Bratislava is to take care of customers, employees and business partners in one of the oldest independent bookstores in Slovakia.
What to expect:
Discover new ideas to implement in your bookshop
Hear from inspirational keynote speakers
Learn how the bookselling business works in other countries
Exchange experiences with booksellers from all over the world
Watch the overview video
FAQs
Who can join?
Booksellers and book sector professionals from all over the world are invited to join the RISE Bookselling conference.
When will the conference take place?
The first ever RISE Bookselling conference will take place as a two-day event, on 19th and 20th March 2023.
Where will the conference take place?
The conference will be hosted in Prague, the beautiful capital city of Czech Republic. The event will take place in Clarion Congress Centre.
Is the attendance free of charge?
Yes, attending the RISE Conference is completely free. However, travel and accommodation is at your own expense.
In which language will the conference be held?
The event will be held in English, with interpretation provided in French and German. When registering your interest to attend the RISE conference, please note if you would like to benefit from interpretation services.
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RISE Bookselling is a network programme organized by the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) and co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
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