Member Spotlight

Member Spotlight

Meet Bev O’Connell – Co-Founder, BookSwipe

Bev O’Connell is the co-founder of BookSwipe, alongside co-founder Tilly Wallace. Together, they are building a female-founded social reading platform based in Dubai that helps people create meaningful connections through the simple act of sharing books.

Inspired by Bev’s daughter struggling to reconnect with friends after the pandemic, BookSwipe was created to tackle loneliness, strengthen workplace culture, and bring communities together—one book at a time.

Working with businesses, universities and community organisations across the UAE and beyond, BookSwipe transforms reading into real-world conversations, helping people connect in an authentic way while encouraging wellbeing, inclusion and a love of books.

Driven by a shared vision, Bev and Tilly continue to grow BookSwipe with creativity, resilience and a belief that books have the power to bring people together. More than just a book app, BookSwipe is creating a smarter, more human way to build relationships in an increasingly digital world.