AUDIO NEXT
NAVIGATE THE AUDIO MARKET'S FUTURE
DIGITAL CONFERENCE
6 MAY, 2025, 4 pm CEST,
10 am EDT, ZOOM
Hardly any other area of the media landscape is currently as dynamic as audio. Audiobooks and podcasts are able to bind the highly competitive young target group, which is increasingly migrating from traditional print media. New business models, formats and technologies also promise rapid market growth in the medium term. The challenge for media professionals is to find their way around this dynamic market and make the right decisions. The AudioNext Summit digital conference provides a basis for decision-making and innovative impulses.
OUR MISSION
powered by
SPEAKERS
Videl Bar-Kar
Vice President Audio, Bookwire
Carlo Carrenho
Frankfurter Buchmesse's Audio Ambassador,
Co-Founder Alpine Global Collective
Erin Cox
Publisher, Publishing Perspectives
Max Franke
Managing Director Axel Springer Audio
Adam Fritz
Chief Executive Officer, Pozotron
Helena Gustafsson
Chief Content Officer, Storytel
Nathan Hull
Chief Strategy Officer , Beat Technology AS
Andrew Isaac
IP Partnerships, Elevenlabs
Anna Lemp
Senior Project Manager for Business Development & Innovation, Hachette France
Declan Moore
Head of International, Wondery (Amazon)
André Palme
Audiobook pioneer in Brazil, Ex-Storytel
Ahmed Rewihel
Co-Founder and CBO Arabookverse
Juliana Rueda
Founder of Miutbooks and EARS
Kathrin Ruestig
Managing Director, BookBeat GmbH
Jon Watt
Trade Audio & Business Development Director
at Bonnier Books UK
AGENDA
Helena Gustafsson, Storytel
Helena Gustafsson joined Storytel in 2013 as CEO of Storyside, following Storytel’s acquisition of the audiobook publisher. In addition to her role as chief content officer, Helena remains the c.e.o. of Storyside. She has previously had several key roles at Storytel such as head of global publishing and has over 20 years experience of working with audiobooks.
Kathrin Rüstig, BookBeat Germany
Kathrin Rüstig is the managing director of BookBeat Germany, an audiobook streaming service. BookBeat was founded in 2015 by the Swedish Bonnier publishing house as a start-up and has been represented in the German market since 2017. Before joining BookBeat, Kathrin held a management position at Audible for 13 years, prior to that she was Head of Amazon's book editorial department.
The audiobook market has been dramatically transformed by streaming services, shifting from traditional ownership models to subscription-based access that has expanded the audience while challenging traditional revenue structures for publishers. As listening habits evolve toward shorter, more frequent sessions across multiple devices, publishers are increasingly exploring serialized content and enhanced production values to capture and retain listener attention. The growing convergence between audiobooks and podcasts on streaming platforms is blurring traditional format boundaries, creating opportunities for hybrid content that combines the narrative depth of audiobooks with the episodic appeal of podcasts. Forward-thinking publishers are now reimagining their audio strategies by developing platform-specific content, exploring new monetization models, and leveraging data analytics to better understand and anticipate rapidly evolving listener preferences.
Ahmed Rewihel, Arabookverse
Ahmed Rewihel, an Egyptian entrepreneur and a doctoral candidate in the MENA digital publishing industry to advance digital transformation in MENA. He co-founded Arabookverse, the leading Arabic audiobook publisher and ebook distribution company in joint venture with Bookwire. He played a massive role in building and developing the MENA digital books industry and introduced Arabic audiobooks on the global map during his inspiring journey as Founding Member and Chief Operation Officer at “Kitab Sawti” (acquired by Storytel)
Nathan Hull, Beat Technology AS
Nathan Hull is CSO at Beat Technology powering audiobook and ebook services for the publishing industry. Beat is the pulse within market leaders Skoobe (DE), Fabel (NO), Fluister (NL), Audiotribe (RO), Volume (PL), Adlibris (SE & FI), Volume (PL), Pegasas (LT), Rahma Raavat (EE) and Jukebooks (GR). Prior to Beat, Nathan launched the curated Dutch service Bookchoice in 9 markets and was Chief Business Development Officer at Denmark’s Mofibo launching in two further markets prior to its purchase by Storytel.
André Palme
André Palme is an executive in the publishing market, leading and pioneering important innovations in the sector, especially with audio content. His career spans more than 20 years, 13 of them in the book market and leading projects involving marketing, technology and, above all, content in all its formats. He is currently on a sabbatical as an executive, but I continue as a columnist, teacher, mentor and coordinator of the Brazilian Book Chamber's Innovation and Technology Committee.
While established markets continue to mature, regions like Brazil and the Arab world are experiencing explosive audiobook growth rates, creating unique ecosystems shaped by local languages, storytelling traditions, and consumption patterns. These rapidly evolving markets represent not just expansion opportunities but innovation laboratories where publishers can experiment with hybrid production models that balance speed-to-market, cost efficiency, and cultural authenticity in ways that may ultimately reshape global audiobook publishing strategies.
Max Franke
Max Franke is an experienced digital business/media executive. He is Managing Director of Axel Springer Audio and PODIUS.io. Previously, he was COO of Media Pioneer and general manager for Axel Springer's digital music portfolio, including brands such as Rolling Stone, Musikexpress and Metal Hammer. Prior to that, he was Chief of Staff to Jan Bayer (then President News Media and Member of the Executive Board of Axel Springer). Max holds an MBA from IE Business School.
Declan Moore
Declan Moore is Head of International for Wondery, an Amazon Company. Prior to joining Wondery he was the Chief Executive Officer of National Geographic Partners (NGP), the joint venture between National Geographic Society and Twenty First Century Fox (now Disney). Declan was the Chief Media Officer and Executive Vice President at National Geographic Society where he was responsible for all digital media, magazines, television production, travel business, licensing and book publishing.
Even 24 years after the invention of the iPod and subsequently the podcast, the format is still evolving. Podcast listening is still growing rapidly world wide. But what concepts and topics will enable companies and publishers / media companies to succeed with their own podcast offerings in the future? And how are podcasts and audiobooks growing together?
Adam Fritz, Pozotron
Adam Fritz is the CEO of Pozotron, Inc. and has been with the company since 2021. Adam has a BA and MBA, and prior to Pozotron he held leadership roles with multiple companies in the professional sport, gaming, and software industries. Adam lives in Vancouver, Canada with his 2 sons and they are currently listening to Stephen Fry’s Harry Potter audiobooks together.
Juliana Rueda, Miutbooks, EARS
Juliana Rueda is a pioneer in the Spanish-speaking audiobook industry and the founder of Miutbooks, a leading production company. Since 2012, she and her team have produced over 1,000 titles for major publishers like Penguin Random House, Planeta, and Anagrama. With 10,000+ hours of finished hours experience, she has guided narrators and refined audiobook production standards. Recognizing challenges like high costs and inefficiencies, she developed EARS in 2020, a cloud-based platform that streamlines audiobook production.
Videl Bar-Kar, Bookwire
Videl Bar-Kar has over 20 years media industry experience in both corporate and start up environments. He has worked in publishing for over a decade, first as Director of the Ways With Words literary festival, then as the first Audio Publisher for Penguin Random House. As Vice President Audio for Bookwire, Videl leads the international expansion of the company’s rapidly growing audio business, from production through distribution of audiobooks and the development of flexible, end-to-end solutions for publishers across all markets.
Some audio markets have achieved high growth rates in recent years. Service providers for publishers have contributed to this development. They are revolutionizing publisher workflows through integrated platforms that streamline production, distribution, and analytics - enabling publishers to scale their audio offerings while maintaining quality control across multiple markets simultaneously. This discussion round presents individual innovations from service providers.
Anna Lemp is Senior Project Manager for Business Development & Innovation at Hachette Livre, the world’s third-largest publishing group. In this role, she identifies growth opportunities, supports digital transformation, and fosters a culture of innovation across Hachette’s global imprints. She advises executives and teams on emerging trends shaping the future of publishing—most recently AI—through research and presentations. She also develops and manages projects in response to these trends, connecting startups and major tech players with the right internal teams to drive innovation.
Anna Lemp, Hachette France
Jon Watt is Trade Audio & Business Development Director at Bonnier Books UK where he has evolved the company’s audiobook and podcast strategy and overseen the rapid expansion of the division. He is also Chair of the Audio Publishers Group, part of the Publishers Association, where he has spearheaded the drive to establish international naming conventions for AI narrated audio products.
Jon Watt, Bonnier Books UK
Jon Watt, Bonnier
Anna Lemp, Hachette France
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally transforming the audiobook and podcast landscape by democratizing production through text-to-speech technologies that can generate narrations in multiple voices and languages at a fraction of traditional costs. Beyond narration, AI is revolutionizing the entire audio content lifecycle—from automated transcription and translation services to sophisticated analytics that help publishers understand listener behavior and personalize recommendations in ways previously impossible. As these technologies continue to mature, publishers face both extraordinary opportunities and existential questions about maintaining artistic quality, protecting narrator livelihoods, and developing new business models that balance efficiency with the human creativity and emotional connection that has always been at the heart of storytelling.
A publishing consultant and analyst with over 30 years of experience in digital strategy and business development. Based in Stockholm with experience in the US, LatAm, and Europe, he brings unique expertise in digital and audiobook markets. As Frankfurter Buchmesse's Audio Ambassador and advisor to publishing groups worldwide, he specializes in guiding organizations through digital evolution and market expansion.
Carlo Carrenho, Alpine Global Collective
Audiobooks have experienced a boom in many countries over the last decade. In the US, audiobooks overtook e-books for the first time last year. However, the growth in the markets is very uneven. The growth drivers are also different. This presentation provides you with key data that can support your digital audiobook strategy.
ABOUT US
The dpr (DIGITAL PUBLISHING REPORT) is a publishing house empowering media professionals especially in German speaking media markets in digital transformation. Our portfolio encompasses cutting-edge magazines, webinars, and industry-leading conferences. As pioneers in publishing, we cultivate a community for knowledge exchange, connecting publishers and service providers to shape the future of media.
Publishing Perspectives is a leading online business magazine for the global book industry. Our readers include publishers, literary agents, authors, book industry service providers, and publishing specialists. Our mission is to support and contribute to the international publishing community by offering essential news, information, and connections.