Hamza Jahanzeb (he/they) is a London-based Publishing professional (The Bookseller Rising Star ’20), theatre reviewer, film critic, speaker, authenticity editor (née Sensitivity Reader) and all-round DEI & cultural consultant.

In 2020, he was selected as one of The Bookseller’s Rising Stars – book trade professionals who are tipped as future leaders of the trade. In 2019, Hamza worked for Octopus Publishing Group. Hamza created Enhanced Marketing Content for book pages on Amazon (A+ pages), improved discoverability (metadata), and drove online sales platforms. He worked on the following Sunday Times bestselling books: Truth to Power, Women Don’t Owe You Pretty, From the Oven to the Table and Bazaar. Additionally, during his time at OPG, he commissioned Remember Me? by dinnerladies and Doctor Who actress Shobna Gulati. Most recently, he worked at a small independent publisher playing a vital role in the publishing of underrepresented voices in the following books: The Boy With Two Hearts (which was adapted for the stage at the National Theatre) and Hijab Butch Blues.

A former Sales Director at Hachette UK had to say the following: “Hamza worked across our online platforms, reviewing and improving on page content, keywords and SEO and made a significant impact on the business, optimising online book sales. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him.”

Prior to beginning his career in UK publishing Hamza completed a BA (Hons) at University of Kent. He then received a scholarship to study Mandarin in Beijing. During this time, he sourced and successfully applied to intern at Penguin Books N. Asia.

Alongside publishing endeavours, Hamza has a great interest in politics and current affairs; aged 18, he was selected to to sit on the inaugural Youth Select Committee. The committee presented their findings to Ministers the House of Commons and published their findings in the form of a report which can be read in UK Parliament.

Hamza is a staunch advocate for inclusivity; born and raised in Lancashire, and as a Queer Muslim, he knows just how exclusive “the Arts” can be to aspirant publishing professionals and creatives from a working-class and non-conforming background; and that is why he continually seeks to alleviate barriers that currently exist, in order to inspire a new generation of publishers as well as creatives.

A passionate campaigner for the #BookJobTransparency initiative, Hamza has had a profound impact by changing the landscape for aspiring entrants to the industry by ensuring a level playing field by tackling structural inequalities head on.

📧hamza@hamzajahanzeb.co.uk
💻www.twitter.com/hamzajahanzeb

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