Hadi Barkat (Switzerland)
CEO & Founding Publisher, HELVETIQ
Hadi Barkat, with roots in the Algerian Sahara, was raised amidst the blend of French and Arabic cultures, shaping his global perspective. His journey to Switzerland ignited a passion for its snowy landscapes and alpine vistas. In 2008, he founded Helvetiq, a publisher that stands at the intersection of culture and creativity, producing children’s books, graphic novels, lifestyle guides, and tabletop games across three languages (French, German, English) and selling in over 30 countries. A two-months backpacking trip to China in 2007 opened his eyes to the richness of Chinese culture. Leading a young, multilingual team, his vision for Helvetiq merges the love for illustration and storytelling with the goal of connecting and inspiring diverse audiences globally.
photo@AlessadnroVona
Giacomo Benelli (Italy)
Co-founder and Coordinator, Mimaster Illustrazione, Milan
Born in 1980, he deals with communication, and exhibitions. In 2009 he is one of the founders of Mimaster illustrazione, school of illustration in Milano, of which currently he takes care of the didactic coordination and external relations. He has been curator of numerous exhibitions, including: "Favorisca. Rediscovered faces of wanderers and nineteenth-century sanspapier", Festivalfilosofia 2006, in collaboration with Ivan Canu and AI. Co-curator of "Sunrise Hotel", installation by Emiliano Ponzi, Rome 2012. Since 2017 he is one of the curators of “The Illustrators Survival Corner”, a program dedicated to the profession of illustrator created by Mimaster in collaboration with the Bologna Children's Book Fair. In 2018, the Survival Corner arrives at the China Shanghai International Children's Book Fair; in 2019 at the Moscow International Children's Book Fair; and from 2021 in Vilnius (Lithuania), Frankfurter Buchmesse (Germany), Sharjah Book Fair (UAE), Guadalajara Book Fair (Mexico), New Delhi World Book Fair (INDIA). In 2018, in collaboration with the Arnoldo and Alberto Mondadori Foundation, he coordinates the intensive course "Creative Publishing Direction", a training project dedicated to cultural design in the publishing field. He is the author, along with Ivan Canu, of The Illustrators Survival Guide, The Illustrated Survival Guide - Editors and Publisher and The Illustrated Survival Guide - Translators.
Tango (China)
Advertiser, Caricaturist
Tango, advertiser and caricaturist, graduated with a bachelor's degree from the Mathematics Department of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and a master's degree in Design at Tsinghua Academy of Fine Arts. At the end of 2010, Tango began creating "One Picture per Day" on Weibo, deconstructing everyday things and healing people with a humorous smile. He has millions of followers on Sina Weibo and has held exhibitions in multiple cities in the United States, France, and China. He has also participated in numerous large-scale group exhibitions, including the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennal and the Art Field Nanhai. He is also a curator who curated the GQ lab art exhibition in 2022 and participated in curating the Bund Art Season in 2023.
