José Manuel Bernardes Pereira Lello (1958) has worked as an administrator at Livraria Lello since 1983. He is also part of the Lello Editores publishing house, both of which are recognised institutions in Portugal and beyond. José Manuel also served as the President of the Portuguese Association of Publishers and Booksellers (APEL) between 1995 and 1998, and was a member of the board of Portugal for the country’s representation as guest of honour at Frankfurt Book fair in 1997.

Gjoko Zdraveski (1985) graduated at Blaže Koneski Faculty of Philology in Skopje and holds an MA from the same faculty. He worked as a Macedonian language lecturer at the Faculty of Philosophy in Nish for eight years. From 2014-2018, he organized Astal Projections literary evenings together with Ana Golejshka, every first Tuesday in the month at Menada café. Since 2015, he has been part of the Versopolis project.

Marianne Payot is a literary critic for the French newspaper L'Express.

Jalel El-Gharbi is a professor of literature at the University of La Manouba. He is the author of numerous works published in Tunisia, and in France in particular. 

Aliona Grati, PhD,Sh is an associate professor and literary critic. She has a PhD in Philology. Her scientific research in the field of History, Criticism and Literary Theory, resulted in the publication of 10 monographs, several coordinated volumes and 200 articles. As a litery critic and journalist, she actively supports emerging publications in the field of literature. She is also a member of the Writers' Union of Moldoval and of the Writers' Union of Romania.

Philip Jones is editor of The Bookseller, a magazine he first joined in 1996. He lives in North London, with his partner and three children.

Anzhela Dimcheva (1963, Sofia, Bulgaria) has a Master Degree in Bulgarian Philology and English Language. She is a PhD from the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies. A journalist, poet, literary critic, and editor, she is the Secretary-General of the Bulgarian Centre PEN, a member of the Union of Bulgarian Writers and the Union of Bulgarian Journalists.

Dr. Alexander Potyka, born 1957 in Vienna, is the publisher at Picus Verlag, Chairman of the Austrian Publishers' Association and President of Literar-Mechana.

Tauno Vahter is editor in chief at Tänapäev Publishers.

Clive Perini has been working in book distribution and publishing for the last 25 years, employed with a company that is the largest distributor on the island. Over the years his role evolved but he always aspired, encouraged and promoted self publishing,as well as established and emerging authors of all genres.