In brief
The 16th Sharjah International Publishers Conference used a new Global Exchange programme alongside familiar one‑to‑one matchmaking meetings to connect 1,433 publishers from 126 countries. England‑based publishers explored the Arab market while a comics panel brought together industry voices from six continents. In parallel, PublisHer offered a three‑day mentorship course for female publishers with eight industry experts.
At the 16th Sharjah International Publishers Conference, which ran from 1 to 3 November 2026 at the Expo Centre in Sharjah, organisers announced a dual‑format programme featuring one‑to‑one matchmaking sessions and a newly launched Global Exchange programme to connect 1,433 publishers from 126 countries ahead of the Sharjah International Book Fair.
The event’s Matchmaking programme, running on the second and third days, continues to offer scheduled meetings designed to support direct business connections, rights trading and potential partnerships. These one‑to‑one sessions enable publishers, literary agents and other professionals to discuss catalogues, rights opportunities and future cooperation from different markets.
In addition to matchmaking, the conference introduced a Global Exchange programme focused on themed discussions about markets, sectors and industry challenges. WAM reported that a session featuring Rebecca Hart, Senior Relationship Manager at the British Council in London, highlighted the platform’s role in helping six UK publishers attending for the first time better understand the regional publishing landscape. Hart said,
It was a chance for the group to ask questions and learn more about how agenting and rights selling work in the region.
During the same session, representatives from UK and Arab publishers met a literary agent from the region to discuss local agenting and rights‑selling practices. Hart added,
I think they have come away with many potential future relationships and ideas.She also noted that the British Council is supporting UK publishers in establishing relationships in new markets and making the most of their debut participation.
Another Global Exchange session focused on comics and graphic novels, bringing together participants from markets including Colombia, Kazakhstan, Sharjah, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and the United States. San Mon Aung, President of the Myanmar Publishers Association, explained that the format allowed participants to address shared challenges rather than focus immediately on buying and selling rights. He stated,
At Global Exchange, we are solving problems and discussing the challenges in each region.
In parallel, the PublisHer initiative – the global platform founded by H.H. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi – ran a three‑day mentorship programme in the PublisHer Lounge at the Expo Centre. The programme paired female publishers with eight mentors and offered workshops, individual guidance and professional photography. The mentors, who donated a total of 32 hours of time, include Amy Joyner of Kogan Page Publishing, Mercy Kirui of Tai AfroPress Ltd, Nermin Mollaoğlu of Kalem Literary Agency, Nadia Wassef of Diwan Bookstore, Rosidayati Rozalina of MCL Publisher, Latoya West‑Blackwood of iPublish Consultancy Jamaica, Searsha Sadek of Shimmr AI and Elizabeth Briggs of Saqi Books. Their specialisations cover copyright acquisition, international rights sales, emerging and underserved markets, distribution and market access for African literature, bookstore management, cultural curation, strategic partnerships, company development, AI‑assisted book discovery and team leadership.
Zaina Khaled, Storytelling and Executive Communications Advisor, led the opening‑day workshop on digital presence and networking, which was the first of two half‑hour mentoring sessions each day, allowing participants to seek advice relevant to their careers and businesses. The programme aimed to advance women’s roles across strategic, editorial, technological and commercial aspects of the global publishing industry.
Connections, challenges and a focus on women in publishing
The conference’s dual‑format approach provided a platform for publishers to explore cross‑regional partnerships while simultaneously identifying shared obstacles. The Global Exchange sessions brought industry voices from a wide range of countries together to discuss market‑specific issues, such as rights trading, pricing and distribution, in a collaborative setting. Meanwhile, PublisHer’s mentorship and workshop programme highlighted gender‑focused development opportunities within the sector, drawing attention to the need for greater female representation in strategic and technological roles.
As the conference closed, organisers emphasised that the newly introduced Global Exchange module would become a staple of future editions, further strengthening Sharjah’s position as a hub for international publishing dialogue.
