Sharjah’s mission is to make stories ‘more accessible, diverse and human,' says Sheikha Bodour

Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), has officially opened the 15th Sharjah International Publishers Conference, featuring 1,258 publishers from 116 countries; being held at Expo Centre Sharjah from 2-4 November ahead of the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair.

In her opening remarks, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi said: “Every year, the Sharjah Publishers Conference shows that the story of global publishing has many authors. As our industry evolves and adapts to technology and transformation, we must stay united in our basic purpose: to make stories more accessible, diverse and human. Through the Sharjah Publishers Conference and other initiatives, Sharjah is committed to building bridges that connect publishers, empower creators, and strengthen the shared future of this business.”

The opening ceremony was attended by Ahmed Al Ameri, CEO of SBA; Gvantsa Jobava, President of the International Publishers Association (IPA); Madeline McIntosh, Co-founder and CEO of Authors Equity and former CEO of Penguin Random House US; and Phaedon Kidoniatis, Vice-President of the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) and representative of Greek Publisher Association. They were joined by senior international publishing leaders and representatives of publishers’ associations.

An industry of ideas and impact

Gvantsa Jobava, President of IPA, delivered a speech welcoming attendees, saying: “What a time it is to be a publisher. Ours is an industry of ideas and impact; and today, our ability to fulfil our mission; to connect authors with readers, to educate, to inspire; is greater than ever before. Through progress in accessibility, from the prevalence of audiobooks to text-to-speech technologies, we are ensuring that the power of story and knowledge is available to all. Books now travel further and faster, reaching every corner of the world through a multitude of platforms and formats; and our words have never had a wider reach. We are also witnessing governments and cultural leaders recognise and champion the importance of a reading culture; and Sharjah stands as a prime example.” 

The author is more important than ever

The first session of the day featured Madeline McIntosh, CEO and co-founder of Authors Equity in conversation with Jo Henry, former Managing Director of BookBrunch; and spoke about transformations in the publishing industry. Discussing her business and offering advice to conference attendees, Madeline McIntosh emphasised that in today’s market of increasingly fractured attention spans, the author is more important than ever to a book’s success. She noted that this importance stems not just from the story itself, but from the author's ability to forge an authentic connection with readers.

McIntosh also indicated that innovation in the industry is now being driven by small and independent publishers who are introducing new partnership models with authors. Regarding Authors Equity; she revealed their profit-share model enabled authors to receive the majority of profits and employed a structure heavily focused on marketing, while outsourcing editorial expertise; allowing efficient and simultaneous work across genres and projects. Speaking about technology, she stated that tools like AI can aid strategy, but that she was unconcerned about it replacing the human element, as readers recognise authenticity.

Connecting with cultures worldwide

Delivering a keynote address, Phaedon Kidoniatis, Vice President of the Federation of European Publishers, and representative of Greek Publisher Associations, highlighted Greece’s role as Guest of Honour as a powerful opportunity for global cultural exchange and an exploration of shared heritage. “This is a chance to connect with cultures worldwide,” he stated, illustrating this by noting that almost thousands of English words have Greek roots, while also acknowledging the role of Arab scholars like Al-Kindi in preserving Greek knowledge.

He also described modern Greece not merely as a land of beautiful coastlines, but as a living civilization that draws strength from its past and present. He expressed pride in the country's ongoing contributions to global progress through its scholars and innovators. Finally, Kidoniatis pointed to the publishing industry’s current transformation, driven by artificial intelligence; and stressed that this new era demands deep reflection to ensure these powerful technologies are harnessed responsibly to foster genuine creativity and progress.

Driving business and building connections

The conference included key new features designed to facilitate connections and industry growth. Among these was the ‘Boardroom Exchange’, a new initiative providing an exclusive platform for direct, 30-minute meetings between senior executives from publishing and tech firms and international participants. These pre-booked sessions offer a unique opportunity for global professionals to discuss new ideas, receive expert guidance, and gain practical insights.

In addition to ‘The Exhibitor Wall’, a dedicated space highlighting information about suppliers to the publishing industry. These companies provide essential services from production to marketing; including printing, digital distribution, artificial intelligence, and targeted advertising; aimed at helping publishers enhance their operations and achieve greater success, directly targeting the conference's influential audience of publishing professionals.

Discussions shaping the future of publishing

The opening day featured 31 workshops addressing key challenges and possible solutions in publishing, with a focus on the digital transformation reshaping the global book landscape. A key area of exploration was the role of artificial intelligence, with discussions examining its application in editing, translation, and marketing, while stressing the need for ethical and responsible implementation to unlock new markets.

Further sessions addressed contemporary marketing strategies for the age of digital platforms and influencers, and highlighted the critical importance of metadata in driving sales and refining reader-targeting strategies. The agenda also fostered a global perspective, investigating ways to empower smaller markets to engage in translation rights deals and identifying new opportunities in emerging literary scenes across Africa, Asia, and Europe.

Bringing together a diverse international cohort, the roundtables also facilitated important conversations on the future of audiobooks and digital publishing, sustainable print practices, and initiatives for accessible publishing for people with disabilities. Participants collectively examined the global reading crisis and strategies for transforming current economic and technological challenges into tangible growth opportunities for the sector.

Exclusive matchmaking sessions

The Publishers Conference will continue over the next two days with exclusive matchmaking sessions designed to facilitate collaborations between publishers and literary agents, alongside meetings focused on the sale of translation, publishing, and distribution rights. These engagements serve as a dynamic platform for exchanging business opportunities and building strategic partnerships between regional and international publishing houses, reinforcing the conference’s position as a vital conduit connecting content creators across the global book industry.