“Abjjad,” the leading e-reading platform in the Arab world, announced new leadership changes aimed at strengthening its ambitious growth and expansion strategy. The changes included the promotion of Eman Hylooz, the founder, to the position of Executive Chairwoman, and the appointment of Dr. Sally Elakkad as the new Chief Executive Officer.
The recent decisions came 12 years after Abjjad’s founding, in a move aimed at amplifying the app’s leadership and guiding it towards a new phase of success and innovation to serve Arab readers worldwide.
Eman Hylooz is the founder of Abjjad, the world’s largest Arabic e-reading platform, which she launched in 2012. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a master’s degree in Business Administration. With over 20 years of experience in the technology sector, she successfully transformed her vision into the largest Arabic digital library, now hosting over 28,000 books and serving millions of readers worldwide. Under her leadership, Abjjad has become the number one platform for Arabic e-reading globally, celebrated for its unmatched innovation and cultural impact. She won the Mohammed bin Rashid Arabic Language Award in 2019, was selected as a TechWomen Emerging Leader during a mentorship program at Twitter’s headquarters in the United States in 2016, and successfully raised one million dollars in funding for Abjjad in 2020, significantly expanding its services and strengthening its market position. In recognition of her accomplishments, she was named one of Forbes Middle East’s “20 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands” in 2023.
Dr. Sally Elakkad holds a bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Cairo University and an MBA from the Arab Academy for Science and Technology. She also obtained a training diploma from Cambridge University and a certified board member certificate from the Financial Regulatory Authority. She is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in Entrepreneurship. Dr. Sally Elakkad brings over 20 years of experience in marketing and management, having worked in multinational companies with a particular focus on marketing along with launching and developing e-commerce platforms. Dr. Elakkad has served as President of Abjjad since mid-last year, where her leadership skills have led to notable achievements in record time. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in improving operational efficiencies, streamlining publisher onboarding processes, and expanding Abjjad’s reach to untapped markets. Her leadership contributed to a 70% increase in user engagement and a 40% growth in monthly subscriptions. Additionally, she spearheaded strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, enhancing Abjjad’s visibility and market position in the region.
Eman Hylooz, Abjjad’s Executive Chairwoman, reflected on the company’s journey and the significant milestones it has achieved. She stated, “Over 12 years of continuous work, we have witnessed many remarkable achievements that have earned Abjjad the trust of millions of readers and the support of hundreds of publishers, proving the Arab cultural scene’s need for an innovative and advanced platform. Today, in a new phase of Abjjad’s journey, we are pleased to appoint Dr. Sally Elakkad as the new CEO. This appointment aligns with our ambitious strategy to achieve steady growth in the Middle East and to reach Arab reading communities in Europe, America, and North Africa more easily and broadly while offering innovative services and improving the experience for both readers and publishers alike.”
Dr. Sally Elakkad, the new CEO, added: “I am honoured to lead Abjjad into its next phase of growth and innovation. We have achieved widespread reach among Arab communities, who are now consuming digital content at unprecedented rates. In my new role, I will focus on establishing partnerships and achieving the highest growth rates for Abjjad, which celebrates our Arabic language. We are also focused on combating book piracy by partnering with publishers, supporting the growth of the Arabic publishing industry.”
Abjjad, launched in 2012, has grown into the leading Arabic e-reading application. It features a library of over 28,000 books, including both classic and contemporary works. The app offers subscribers unlimited reading through a monthly subscription model, with innovative features. Over the past decade, Abjjad users have collectively read millions of pages, dedicating thousands of hours to Arabic literature through the app. The app continues to expand, adding 400+ new and exclusive books to its extensive library every month.It delivers a distinctive reading experience for Arabic language enthusiasts, with motivational tools such as reading competitions, annual goals, and daily book recommendations. The platform also actively encourages a daily reading culture among Arabs through innovative initiatives, such as the Abjjad Reading Challenge, which achieved significant success in its second edition last year, engaging participants from 78 countries and increasing average reading time per individual by 600%.
Abjjad’s journey has not only been a groundbreaking technological innovation but also a cultural revolution, inspiring a shift in reading habits across the Arab world. By encouraging readers to dedicate more time to meaningful activities, such as reading, Abjjad has left a profound impact on Arab society, fostering a culture of knowledge and learning.
Through these new appointments, Abjjad reaffirms its commitment to its mission of becoming the leading digital library for every Arab reader worldwide. This step highlights the company’s dedication to serving its community and providing a platform that celebrates and promotes Arabic literature and culture. This new phase of growth offers unique opportunities for investors and partners to join Abjjad in shaping the future of Arabic e-reading and contributing to the success of the largest Arabic digital library.