CEO, Perbadanan Kota Buku
Adibah Omar is the Chief Executive Officer of Perbadanan Kota Buku Malaysia, the national agency mandated to develop Malaysia’s book and publishing ecosystem. She is recognised for leading large-scale, inclusive initiatives that expand access to books while strengthening local publishing economies. Under her leadership, Kota Buku underwent a rapid organisational turnaround and became a high-impact national delivery agency. Adibah led the design and execution of Malaysia’s nationwide digital book voucher programme, reaching millions of students and educators across urban and rural communities, while ensuring direct participation by local publishers and booksellers. A former educator, she brings a human-centred approach to system design, combining policy, technology, and culture. Her work positions books as essential social infrastructure and advances Malaysia’s role as a regional connector for publishing, rights exchange, and translation in Southeast Asia. In 2026, she became the first publishing industry figure from Southeast Asia to be shortlisted among the Top 3 finalists globally in the Innovation category of the PublisHer Excellence Awards, recognizing her contributions to innovation and leadership in publishing.
Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney
Dr Agata Mrva-Montoya is senior lecturer in the Discipline of Media and Communications at the University of Sydney. Previously, she worked at Sydney University Press, where she led the implementation of accessible publishing practices. Her research examines the ways technological innovation and power structures shape the publishing industry, focusing specifically on their impact on equitable access to literature and knowledge. She is author of Inclusive publishing and the quest for reading equity (2025) and co-author of Books without barriers: a practical guide to inclusive publishing (2023).
Novelist & Scriptwriter; Chairman of Evolution Publishing and Production House
Ahmed Mourad (b. Cairo, 1978) is an Egyptian novelist, screenwriter, and film consultant. A graduate of the Higher Institute of Cinema (2001), his early films won awards at international festivals in England, France, and Ukraine. He is the author of bestselling novels including Vertigo, The Blue Elephant, 1919, Diamond Dust, and Abo El-Hol. His works have been translated into multiple languages and adapted into acclaimed films and television series. Mourad received the Mediterranean Culture Award (Italy, 2013) for Vertigo, was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (2014) for The Blue Elephant, and won Egypt’s State Excellence Award in Literature (2018). He serves on major film juries and leads screenwriting workshops across the Arab world.
CEO, Al Dar Al Masriah Al Lubnaniah for Publishing, Egypt
Ahmed Rashad is the CEO of Al Dar Al Masriah Al Lubnaniah Publishing House, one of the leading publishing houses in the Arab world with a history spanning over 40 years. With more than 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, he was appointed by the Minister of Investment and External Trade of Egypt as Vice President of the Export Council for Printing, Packaging, Paper, Books, and Artistic Works. Currently, he serves on the Executive Committee of the International Publishers Association, becoming the third Arab to hold this position in IPA history. Additionally, he is a board member of the Egyptian Publishers Association and acts as a consultant for various cultural entities. He is also a former Vice President of the Arab Children's Publisher Forum, part of the Sharjah Book Authority.
Co-Founder & CEO,
Arabookverse International
Ali Abd El-Moneim Ahmed is a publishing leader from Egypt with over 25 years of experience across the Arab and global markets. He is the CEO and Co-Founder of Arabookverse International (UAE & Egypt), driving innovation in Arabic digital publishing and global distribution of audiobooks and eBooks. Previously, he headed Arabic content acquisition at Storytel and played an active role in the Egyptian Publishers Association. With a strong focus on digital transformation, international partnerships, and market expansion, Ali is dedicated to elevating Arabic content on the global stage.
Founder & Chief Innovation Officer, Helsinki Film Lab
Alisha Hasan is an internationally experienced producer, marketing strategist, and the Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Helsinki Film Lab, a new creative hub for film, TV, gaming and literary professionals which focuses on cross-industry education, 1:1 curated Film x Game x Book matchmaking and international transmedia networking events. In 2024, Alisha introduced a slate of standout initiatives at the industry event Finnish Film Affair, including Finnish Weird, a curated showcase celebrating genre-defying storytelling from Finland, and a pioneering Film x Game matchmaking event that connects game developers with screen creatives to transform original IP across formats. With 16 years of experience across Finland, the UK, and Malta, Alisha has led creative and strategic efforts in both production and marketing. In Malta, she specialised in producing branded short-form content, building and scaling a multilingual in-house video department at Game Lounge that served 37 sites in 26 languages. At Gutsy Animations, she managed global marketing for Moominvalley and worked on licensing collaborations with major brands including Reima, Huawei, Rovio, and Macmillan. Alisha holds a BA in Film and TV Production from Anglia Ruskin University and an MSc in International Business and Politics from Queen Mary University of London.
CEO, Australia Reads
Anna Burkey is the CEO of Australia Reads, a national not-for-profit on a mission to get more Australians reading. Originally hailing from Scotland, Anna was on the founding team of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature. Now living in Melbourne/Naarm in Australia, she has held senior roles at State Library Victoria – leading the Centre for Youth Literature – and at the Australian Publishers’ Association, where she oversaw communications and public advocacy for the publishing sector. Anna is passionate about books, storytelling, and learning, and wants to see more Australians have access to the life-changing benefits of recreational reading.
Founder & Chief Future Officer, NightOwl AI
Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo is the founder of NightOwl AI, a mission-driven company harnessing artificial intelligence to preserve endangered languages and fight digital exclusion. A proud member of the Karay-a ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, Anna Mae is passionate about building AI systems that reflect the full spectrum of human culture—not just the dominant few. Anna Mae earned her Development Communication degree cum laude from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, where she was awarded the Faculty Medal for Academic Excellence. She completed her Juris Doctor at the UP College of Law, executive education in Economic Development at Harvard Kennedy School, and her MSc in Cities from the London School of Economics. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Major Programme Management at the University of Oxford. At the heart of her work is a simple but urgent belief: everyone deserves a voice in the digital future—especially those who have been systemically left out of it.
Malaysia’s 10th National Laureate
Dato' Dr. Anwar Ridhwan is Malaysia’s 10th National Laureate. He was born on 5 August 1949 in Sungai Besar, Selangor, Malaysia. After graduating in 1973, he worked at Institute of National Language and Literature, Malaysia (DBP). He received his Ph.D. in 1997 from University of Malaya. In 1982, he took a management and book publishing course at New York University, USA. In 1986, he attended the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa, USA. From April 1997 to March 2000, he was a Visiting Professor at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan. He has produced five novels, seven collections of short stories, eleven dramas, three books of poetry and several books on language, literature and culture. His works have been translated into 20 foreign languages. He is now working as a senior lecturer, Faculty of Creative Writing and Film, National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA) Malaysia. He is also Chairman, Board of Control, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Malaysia.
Executive Vice President and Secretary-General, China Audio-Video & Digital Publishing Association (CADPA) (China)
With more than 40 years of experience in publishing, he has served as General Manager (President) of the Publishing House of Electronics Industry and the Industry and Information Technology Publishing Group. From 2015 to 2019, he was General Manager of Children’s Fun Publishing Co., Ltd. Major Research Focus in Recent Years Digital transformation of the publishing industry Selected Academic Papers; 1) Open Access Publishing Model and the Transformation of Traditional Academic Publishing. 2) Subject Consciousness of Professional Publishing in the Digital Era and Its Digital Choices. 3)The Game Economy: Concept Definition, Main Characteristics and Development Path. He has also served as Vice President of the China Society of Editors, and adjunct professor at the School of Information Management, Wuhan University and Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication.
Founder, BookTranslate.ai; Publisher, Praxeum Publishing (Hungary)
Balint Taborski is the founder of BookTranslate.ai, an AI-powered literary translation platform built to preserve authorial voice, fidelity, and style across languages. He is also the publisher behind Praxeum Publishing, Hungary’s dedicated libertarian press, where he has translated and released dozens of classic works in political philosophy and economics. His work focuses on combining technology, philosophy, and literature to revive important texts for new audiences.
Founder, PublisHer; UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Education and Book Culture
Bodour Al Qasimi is a transformative force in global publishing and culture. As Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority, she advances Sharjah's cultural vision and oversees the world's largest book fair. Founder of Kalimat Group, she has strengthened the UAE's publishing ecosystem through key organizations, including the Emirates Publishers Association. A UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Education and Book Culture and the International Publishers Association’s first Arab President—and its second female president in 125 years—she founded PublisHer, empowering more than 1,000 women publishing leaders globally. An accomplished author, her works include The House of Wisdom and Let Them Know She Is Here: Searching for the Queen of Mleiha.
CEO, CJ Fallon Publishing; Chairman, IPA Educational Publishers Forum
Brian has worked in publishing for over 25 years and heads up Ireland’s leading educational publisher since 2008.
General Counsel and Deputy CEO, Publishers Association (UK)
Catriona MacLeod Stevenson is General Counsel and Deputy CEO at the Publishers Association. Her recent industry-leading work has focused on copyright and AI policy and the unauthorised use of books and journals in the training of generative AI models. She is also closely involved in action to tackle major pirate networks. Catriona is Co-Chair of the IPA Copyright Committee and a delegate at WIPO and AIPPI. She sits on the board of the British Copyright Council and holds close connections with the world-renowned City of London Police IP Crime Unit. Catriona previously worked for the global recorded music industry trade association, IFPI, and as a successful IP litigator at award-winning law firm Bristows.
Director, Public Affairs EU & Deputy Global Director, Public Affairs – STM
Claudia Russo is STM’s Director, Public Affairs EU & Deputy Global Director, Public Affairs— helping advance public affairs initiatives across Europe and globally. Claudia has been part of STM’s Policy & Advocacy team since 2020, gathering political intelligence, crafting effective public affairs strategies, and building strong relationships with European institutions and stakeholders. Her deep expertise in digital issues — as well as a talent for translating policy into clear, actionable strategies have been vital to STM’s success in this area.
President, Malaysia Board on Books for Young People (Malaysia IBBY)
Ahmad Redza Khairuddin (1965) is a publisher and a reading promoter. His background is in finance and investment. He was in audit, banking and venture capital before embarking on his own businesses in publishing, printing, ICT and payment systems and financial services. Today he focuses more of his time on publishing, reading promotion activities and championing the children and young adults segment of the publishing industry. His publishing company that started business since 1988, focuses on education, revision and reading materials mainly on children and teenagers. His vast experiences in publishing and printing are highly recognized as evidenced in his active participation in various committees and organisations that handles book publishing and reading activities in Malaysia. He has been a key figure in IBBY Malaysia since 2005 and currently holds the post of President. He also served IBBY International (www.IBBY.org) in various capacities and was elected to the Executive Committee since 2006. He was the President of IBBY International for the years 2010-2014 and Vice President 2008-2010. During his Presidency, he joined the Board of IBBY Trust/IBBY Foundation until he resigned in 2023. After a brief hiatus, he was again elected to the Executive Committee for the session 2018-2020,2020-2022. At the 39th IBBY Congress in Trieste, Italy in August 2024, Ahmad Redza was elected to be the Chair of IBBY Trust which is the official arm of IBBY in fundraising and management of funds contributed by donors from all over the world, for activities related to all of IBBY’s missions and objectives. Ahmad Redza was Organising Committee Chairman of the 38th IBBY Congress in Putrajaya Malaysia. To host the Congress, he led the Malaysia IBBY team and collaborated with partners like Putrajaya Corporation, Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and Universiti Selangor. Other agencies include the Prime Minister’s Office, The Education Ministry, Higher Education Ministry, Federal Territories Ministry, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, The National Library, The Selangor Library, National Book Publishers Association, National Book Council of Malaysia and many others. The Congress in Putrajaya was a huge success for Malaysia IBBY as more than 300 delegates from many countries were in attendance with Ambassadors and Diplomats from several countries as well.
Executive Director, Edote Sdn Bhd
Dr Nor Afifah Shabani is the Executive Director of Edote Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian assistive technology company focused on improving digital accessibility for persons with visual impairments. She leads the development and strategic direction of eBrelle, a Braille laptop designed to support blind and visually impaired users in accessing digital content, education, and information more independently. Dr Nor Afifah is actively involved in initiatives related to inclusive technology, special education, and digital empowerment for persons with disabilities. Under her leadership, Edote has engaged with schools, government agencies, foundations, and community organisations to expand access to Braille technology in Malaysia and beyond. She is passionate about creating practical and impactful technology solutions that help bridge educational and digital gaps for underserved communities.
President, Pelita Harapan Group
Stephanie Riady is the CEO of Lippo Education, where she leads one of Indonesia's largest integrated education ecosystems, comprising 207 schools across 70 locations nationwide. Her work focuses on driving system-level transformation through scalable models that integrate STEM, AI, and digital learning, while expanding access to quality education in underserved regions. She is actively engaged in national education policy, including co-developing a joint research and publication partnership with Indonesia's Ministry of Education to strengthen evidence-based STEM policy in public schools. As Founder of the STEM Indonesia Cerdas movement and Trustee of the Riady Foundation, she brings a cross-sector perspective bridging government, private sector, and philanthropy to advance education reform at scale.
Executive Director, Huia Publishers; President, Publishers Association of New Zealand
Eboni Waitere (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne) is Executive Director at Huia Publishers and president of the Publishers Association of New Zealand | Te Rau o Tākupu. Over the past decade, Eboni has helped shape Huia Publishers into a respected name in publishing worldwide with a focus on growing talent, elevating Māori voices and forging partnerships that centre equity and excellence.
Director, Bologna Children’s Book Fair
Elena Pasoli is Director of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF), member of the Executive Committee of the Italian section of Ibby - International Board on Books for Young People. In the last ten years her work has focused on the international development of the Fair, bringing it to become the co-organizer of the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF) and organize various children’s illustrations exhibitions in more than 40 countries. Thanks to this activity, Elena won in 2018 the international Eric Carle Honor prize in the Bridge Category. Before her current position, she had been events manager at BolognaFiere and directed the Communications department of the University of Bologna Foundation. She has a degree in Classical Literature.
International Publishing Consultant; Founder, Oreham Group
Emma House is an international publishing consultant with over 25 years’ experience in the global publishing industry. She has held senior positions at the London Book Fair and the UK Publishers Association. Emma is the project manager of Quick Reads, an adult literacy initiative run by the Reading Agency, and chair of the Scholarly Networks Security Initiative. Emma is the vice chair of the Publishing Training Centre and an advisory board member of Oxford Centre for International Publishing Studies. She also curates conferences and events for books fairs and tech companies and is a regular speaker at global publishing fora.
International Publishing Consultant & AI Strategist
Fatimah Abbas is an international publishing consultant, literary agent/scout, and AI strategist, and the founder of FALA Agency. She advises global publishers on rights trading, distribution, and strategic market expansion, bringing expertise in digital innovation and the integration of AI in publishing. Formerly MENA Regional Director at an AI company, she now leads initiatives such as the Cairo Calling fellowship and the region’s first digital publishing conference. A speaker and moderator at major industry events, including the Frankfurt Rights Meeting session on AI, she is frequently featured in international media and was shortlisted for the London Book Fair Excellence Award.
Co-Founder & CEO, CO.MINT Inc
GeumJoo Lin is co-founder and CEO of CO.MINT Inc., where she directs digital content distribution, consulting, and copyright management for IPs from Korea and beyond. With extensive experience in publishing and digital media, she led Storytel’s service launch in South Korea and the digital release of the Harry Potter series. Lin contributed to the 2023 PublisHer Seoul Conference and joined its advisory board. Actively engaged as a speaker and juror, including the BolognaRagazzi Cross Media Award, she is currently pursuing graduate research at Ewha Womans University on the future of copyright in the era of the technology revolution.
Vice President, International Publishers Association
Giovanni Hoepli, born in Milan in 1966, is Executive and Vice President of Hoepli S.p.A., a publishing house founded in 1870, renowned for its leading role in scientific, academic, and educational publishing, as well as for its iconic independent bookstore in the heart of Milan. Deeply engaged in the publishing community, he has been active in the Italian Publishers Association (AIE) and in SIAE, the Italian collecting society, since 2003. From 2015 to 2023 served on the Executive Committee of the International Publishers Association, where he was elected Vice President in 2025. Alongside his professional commitments, he has long demonstrated a strong dedication to social causes, volunteering for 13 years in Milan’s ambulance service and actively engaged in EMERGENCY, the international NGO based in Milan. In 2012 he co-founded and serves as Vice President of EMERGENCY Switzerland Foundation.
President, International Publishers Association
Gvantsa Jobava is the President of the International Publishers Association (IPA) and the past president of Georgian Publishers and Booksellers Association. She holds the position of the Head of International Affairs and the head of translated Fiction/Nonfiction department at Intelekti Publishing, one of the leading publishing houses in Georgia. In addition, she is a member of Women Publishers’ International Network - PublisHer. Since 2020 she is a member of PEN Georgia. Since 2013, Gvantsa Jobava has been lobbying for the Georgian publishing industry, advocating Georgian publishers’ interests and rights, standing for copyright and freedom to Publish and Freedom of Expression in Georgia. She has managed a number of projects to promote Georgian publishing and literary industry at international level, including Georgia’s “Guest of Honour” publishing program at the 2018 Frankfurt Book Fair. In 2013-2022 she was the organizer of Tbilisi International Book Festival as well as the head of Georgian National stands at Frankfurt and London Book Fairs. Gvantsa Jobava is a poet and the translator of works of John Steinbeck, Chinua Achebe, Zora Neale Hurston, Saul Bellow, John Lennon, Anna Politkovskaya, Volodymyr Zelensky into Georgian. She is the author and editor of the publishing project “Banned Books Shelf” and the founder of Banned Books Week celebrations in Georgia. (Photo credit: Oystein Klausen)
CEO, Gallimard Jeunesse
Holding Masters’ degrees in law and economics, Hedwige Pasquet started her career with young children, creating a kindergarten in Trinidad and Tobago. Back in France into the publishing house Gallimard in 1976, she took actively part into the creation of two subsidiaries: the Gallimard Travel Guides she led until 2009 and Gallimard Jeunesse whom she is today the CEO. Gallimard Jeunesse is an internationally recognized French children's book publisher for 54 years. Among its best-selling titles and authors: The Little Prince by A. de Saint-Exupéry, Timothée de Fombelle, Jean-Claude Mourlevat, Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake, J.K. Rowling -Harry Potter, J.R.R. Tolkien -The Lord of the Rings.
Professor, Seoul National University; Korean Publishers Association
Dr Jaeho Kang is a professor in the Department of Communication at Seoul National University and a member of the Freedom to Publish Committee of the International Publishers Association. Kang, a PhD from the University of Cambridge, has held positions at SOAS, the University of London, The New School in New York City, and Institut für Sozialforschung in Frankfurt. In collaboration with the Korean Publishers Association, Kang has served as a scholar, consultant, and expert in the publishing industry for various events and institutions such as the Seoul International Book Fair, Korean Book Editor's School, and Korean Publishers Research Institute.
Secretary General, International Publishers Association
José Borghino has been Secretary General of the International Publishers Association, Geneva, since 2015. He joined the IPA as Policy Director in 2013, and was in charge of policy development, organizing the Prix Voltaire (IPA’s Freedom to Publish Prize), and managing the IPA’s activities in the educational publishing sector, including the annual ‘What Works?’ conference and the Educational Publishers Forum. Before joining the IPA, José was ‘Manager, Industry Representation’ at the Australian Publishers Association. He has been Executive Director of the Australian Society of Authors, a lecturer in literary journalism and creative industries at the University of Sydney, and editor of the online news magazine NewMatilda.com. José held senior positions at the Literature Board of the Australia Council and was the founding editor of EDITIONSReview.
Director of Communications and Freedom to Publish, IPA
James Taylor is Director of Communications and Freedom to Publish at the International Publishers Association (IPA). He coordinates the IPA’s freedom to publish work including the prestigious IPA Prix Voltaire, and the new Freedom of Expression Defenders Award. James joined the IPA in January 2018, moving to Geneva from Brussels where he had worked for organisations at the junction between the creative industries and policymakers: IMPALA, the independent music companies’ association, and then SAA, the grouping of collective management organisations for screenwriters and directors.
Head of Office & Digital Policy Adviser, MEP Axel Voss
Kai Zenner is Head of Office and Digital Policy Adviser for MEP Axel Voss (European People’s Party) in the European Parliament. He focuses on AI and data policy but also promotes the EU’s digital transition and Good Governance principles. Besides, he is 'Fellow of Practice' at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Member of the OECD.AI Network of Experts, and Member of the 'AI Governance Alliance' at the World Economic Forum. In 2023, Mr Zenner was awarded best MEP Assistant and ranked Place #13 in Politico's Power 40, while he received EAIF’s 'European AI Award' in 2024 and was listed as one of the '14 movers and shakers to watch for in Tech policy' by Euronews in 2025.
CEO, Grupo Girassol Brasil
Karine Pansa has been active in the Brazilian publishing sector for nearly thirty years, leading initiatives that bring books and reading closer to children and families. As head of Grupo Girassol Brasil, which encompasses several imprints, she has built strong national and international partnerships to expand the reach of children’s literature. Known for her global perspective, she served as President of the International Publishers Association (IPA) and continues to contribute to boards and projects that strengthen the book industry worldwide. Her career reflects a blend of management, innovation, and a strong commitment to broadening access to culture.
Egyptian Publisher; Founder, Tanmia Bookstores
Khaled Lotfy is an Egyptian publisher and the founder of Tanmia Bookstores. I established Tanmia in 2011, and within a few years, Tanmia became a destination for Egyptian and non-Egyptian intellectuals, providing books from Arab publishing houses and distributing them within Egypt. I launched my publishing project in 2016 through joint Egyptian editions with major Arab publishing houses, providing readers with important books at reasonable prices and eliminating piracy. They embraced the idea of joint editions. Tanmia's publications have won several awards. As a publisher, I was awarded the Voltaire Prize for Freedom of Opinion and Expression by the IPA.
Nigerian Writer & Linguist
Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún is a Nigerian writer and linguist, currently the Africa co-editor of Best Literary Translations anthology, and publisher of OlongoAfrica.com. Fulbright scholar (2009), Miles Morland Writing Fellow (2018), and Chevening Research Fellow at the British Library (2019/2020), his work has been published in African Writer, Aké Review, Brittle Paper, International Literary Quarterly, PEN Transmissions, Enkare Review, Maple Tree Literary Supplement, Jalada, Popula, Saraba Magazine, World Literature Today, etc. He has translated Chimamanda Adichie, Haruki Murakami, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Wole Soyinka, James Baldwin, Cervantes between English and Yorùbá. His work in language advocacy earned him the Premio Ostana Special Prize in Italy in 2016.
Digital Publishing Consultant, eBOUND Canada
Laura Brady is an accessible publishing expert who works with eBound Canada, the Accessible Books Consortium, the International Publishers Association, and Adobe among other organizations. She has more than 25 years of trade publishing experience, working in digital publishing for the past fifteen years, creating and converting ebooks, training publishers on accessible workflows, and consulting for services organizations about how to publish inclusively while worrying about everyone's reading experience. She teaches about ebooks, publishing, and accessibility at Simon Fraser University and Toronto Metropolitan University.
CEO of the European Digital Reading Lab (EDRLab)
Laurent is the CEO of EDRLab, a global non-profit organization that works on creating an open infrastructure for the digital book publishing ecosystem. As a software engineer and open standards expert, Laurent leads the technical development of the Text and Data Mining Reservation Protocol (TDMRep), which helps publishers reserve their rights against the use of content by AI systems. He also participates in the IETF AI-Pref initiative, with the same goals as TDMRep, and he leads the development of Readium LCP, a modern Digital Rights Management solution for ebooks and audiobooks.
Group Managing Director, Sasbadi Holdings Berhad
Law King Hui is the co-founder of Sasbadi Holdings Berhad and leads the Group's development, strategic direction, and innovation, transforming it from a traditional print publisher into a provider of diverse educational solutions, including digital learning, STEM tools, and various education services. With over 45 years of experience, he has held key leadership roles across numerous industry organisations. His contributions to the education sector have earned him national recognition, including being featured as one of the 21 personalities in the publication “Tokoh-tokoh Perbukuan Malaysia” by the National Library of Malaysia.
Managing Director, Mountain Top Educational Publishers Ltd. (Kenya)
Lawrence Njagi is the Managing Director, Mountain Top Educational Publishers Ltd. (Kenya) Nairobi Mountain Top Educational Publishers is one of the leading publishing houses in Africa with reach in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda and Zambia. Mountain Top is a major player in Educational publishing in Kenya with over 1000 titles published since its inception in 2002. Currently, he is also a Chairman of African Publishers Network (APNET), Chairman of Kenya Publishers Association (KPA) for 9 years and Executive Board Member of International Publishers Association (IPA).
Vice President of the Publishers Association of China
Li Pengyi has been focusing on the publishing industry for more than four decades with continuous enthusiasm and devotion. During his career, he has served as president of Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, Higher Education Press, and China Education Publishing & Media Group. He is a former member of the Executive Committee of the International Publishers Association and the International Advisory Board of Frankfurt Book Fair. He now serves as the vice president of the Publishers Association of China, and the dean of the publishing school of Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication.
Associate Professor & Associate Dean, NIE, Nanyang Technological University
Loh Chin Ee is Associate Professor at the English Language and Literature Department and Associate Dean (Partnerships) at the Office for Research at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University. Her research focuses on young people’s reading at the intersection of globalisation and technological changes as well as the role of school libraries in fostering reading for pleasure and lifelong learning. Her most recent books are The Reading Lives of Teens: Research & Practice (Routledge, 2025, UKLA Academic Book Award) and Little Things: An Anthology of Poetry (2nd Edition, Ethos, 2025). She is host of the How We Read podcast
CEO Hachette Australia & New Zealand; Chair of Australia Reads
Louise Stark is the CEO for Hachette Australia & New Zealand, a subsidiary of Hachette Livre; Chair of Australia Reads; and Convenor of the Trade Publishers Committee of the Australian Publishers’ Association (APA). She has also served on the boards of the APA and the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Louise has 20 years in executive roles and has worked for companies including Ryland Peters & Small, Faber & Faber and Hodder & Stoughton in London and Google Play, Bloomsbury and Hachette in Sydney. Louise consistently delivers strong financial results and a collaborative, resilient and creative culture. She is passionate about promoting the benefits of reading and ensuring that Australians can see themselves reflected in the stories they read.
Managing Director, Foundation GSR
Director at FGSR. He is founder of PARIX, Spanish book industry School, launched several innovation projects and founded Readmagine and he's co-chair of the IPA's literacy subcommittee. Previously his career included previous positions as senior civil servant, when worked at the Ministry of Culture and designed the first National Plan for the Promotion of Reading in Spain. Studied Law and Master in Fiscal Law (UAM), Senior Civil Servants training at INAP (Madrid) and Civil Service College (London) among others. Vice-president of the Spanish Association of Foundations and was awarded the Order of R.P. for exceptional services to the country.
Investor, Advisor, Board Member, Founding Past CEO Penguin Random House
Markus Dohle’s entire professional life has been devoted to the support of authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers. He is the founding past CEO of Penguin Random House, the world’s largest trade book publisher, operating 350 editorially independent imprints in more than 20 countries worldwide. Today, Markus serves as investor, advisor and board member of many companies, start-ups and not-for-profit organizations in the global book business. He is also an international keynote speaker, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the founder of the “Dohle Book Defense Fund” against book bans in the United States, and for the freedom to write and to read around the world.
Founder, Books-Everywhere
Mauro Spagnol founded the UK-based foreign rights agency Books-Everywhere in 2020 with the aim of establishing a company which represented independent European publishing houses and introduced their books to the international market. Mauro hopes to offer these publishers a platform to expose their magnificent titles to a global audience and to show that hidden literary treasures can be found everywhere in the world if given visibility. Furthermore, in 2022, Books-Everywhere won the Sharjah Rights Connection Award for a foreign rights agency and at the Bologna Book Fair 2024, Mosquito Books Barcelona (a represented publisher) won the BOP award for best children’s publisher in Europe.
United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications
Melissa Fleming is the UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, leading an international team to inform audiences about the state of the world and build support for the work and goals of the United Nations. She oversees strategic and crisis communications, multilingual news and digital media platforms, information integrity, and global campaigns. Her career includes senior communications roles at UNHCR, IAEA, OSCE, and RFE/RL. She is the author of the book, A Hope More Powerful than the Sea and hosts the award-winning UN podcast, Awake at Night. She holds degrees from Boston University and Oberlin College.
Senior VP Research Networks, Elsevier
Dr. Michiel Kolman is Senior VP Research Networks at Elsevier where he has worked for 30 years. Michiel is Past President of the IPA, where he now chairs the Inclusive Publishing and Literacy committee. At Elsevier, in the academic community and across the publishing industry, Michiel supports thought leadership, the SDGs, climate change and pushes for a more inclusive world. Michiel chairs the Workplace Pride board supporting LGBTIQ+ workplace inclusion. He holds a degree from Leiden University in the Netherlands and a PhD in astrophysics from Columbia University in New York, where he studied with a Fulbright scholarship.
General Manager, Virtuos Games (M)
Mufizal Mokhtar is a Malaysian game development leader and creative entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in AAA games, contributing to major franchises including Assassin’s Creed and PUBG. As General Manager of Virtuos Kuala Lumpur, he has led the studio’s evolution from specialist outsourcing toward co-development and full-cycle game production. His career bridges production leadership, art direction, talent development, and business strategy, with a strong focus on building original and licensed IP opportunities. Beyond games, Mufizal co-founded Hand Made Object, creating premium collectibles for global pop culture brands, giving him a rare perspective across games, statues, storytelling, and IP commercialization.
Director, National Book Council of Malaysia (MBKM)
Mohd Khair Ngadiron is a respected Malaysian publishing and media figure with extensive leadership experience in the cultural and creative industries. He currently serves as the Director of the National Book Council of Malaysia (MBKM) and previously led Institut Terjemahan & Buku Malaysia (ITBM) as Chief Executive Officer, where he strengthened Malaysia’s translation, publishing, and literary development efforts. He is also serving as Chairman of TV Alhijrah and hold leadership roles in several national organizations related to media, education, and cultural development. Mohd Khair is widely recognized for his contributions to advancing the Malaysian book industry, intellectual discourse, and Islamic media broadcasting.
Translator and Publisher, Belarus
Nadia Kandrusevich is a Belarusian translator and publisher, founder of the independent children’s book publishing house Koska. Since 2018, she has specialized in bringing Swedish children’s literature into the Belarusian language, translating works by renowned authors such as Sven Nordqvist, Jujja Wieslander, Sara Lundberg, Emma Adbåge, and others. Her work has been recognized with several prestigious awards: the “Warm Heart” Award of the Swedish Academy of Children’s Literature (2018), the Karłas Šerman Award (2019) for her translation of Sven Nordqvist’s books, and the IPA Prix Voltaire (2025), an international honor awarded to publishers who show outstanding courage in defending the freedom to publish.
Author, Founder & CEO, Shimmr AI
Nadim Sadek is Founder & CEO of Shimmr AI, delivering autonomous advertising to sell books. He’s a published author with 'Shimmer, don't Shake – how publishing can embrace AI', 'Quiver, don't Quake – how Creativity can embrace AI', and forthcoming 'Tales from a Faraway Land'. He writes for Forbes and The Bookseller and delivers global AI thought-leadership. Trained as a psychologist, he founded global market research firms, a whiskey, food and music business on an Irish island, and an AI brand-management platform. Nadim is Board Advisor to BookBrunch and Sinai AI. He manages a Warner artist and presents motorcycle reviews on Boss Bikes Club.
Creative Director, PUSAKA
Pauline Fan is a writer, literary translator, and cultural curator. She is the creative director of Unesco-accredited cultural heritage organisation, PUSAKA. Pauline’s acclaimed translations of Fatimah Busu’s An Ordinary Tale about Women and Other Stories (Penguin Random House SEA, 2024) and Tell Me, Kenyalang by Kulleh Grasi (Circumference Books, 2019) have garnered international recognition. She is a winner of the inaugural PEN Presents x International Booker Prize programme for her ongoing translation of Ruhaini Matdarin’s The Last Days of Jesselton. Her literary translations from German to Malay include works by Immanuel Kant, Rainer Maria Rilke, and Paul Celan.
Director, NUS Press; Vice President, Singapore Book Publishers Association
Peter Schoppert is a publisher and reformed technology entrepreneur. He is Director of the NUS Press, the scholarly publishing arm of the National University of Singapore. Peter started in publishing with illustrated books packager Times Editions and later Editions Didier Millet where he worked on photo books and illustrated reference projects across the region. From there he went to the internet business, all the way to a NASDAQ IPO, before going B2B, back to books. After a stint with McKinsey, he rejoined the publishing industry 12 years ago. He is past President of the Singapore Book Publishers Association and writes on generative AI at aicopyright.substack.com
Managing Director, Prints Publications; Vice President, The Federation of Indian Publishers
Pranav is the Managing Director of Prints Publications and Founder of Buy Books India, Advit Toys, Aviraj Educational Resources and Swets Information Services. He serves as the Vice President for The Federation of Indian Publishers and the elected Secretary-General for the Indian Reprographic Rights Organisation. Pranav is the first recipient of the Outstanding Young Global Leader Award by The Federation of Indian Publishers. He is also Chairman of the Data & Statistics Committee of the International Publishers Association (IPA), Geneva. He is also an elected Director for the Afro-Asia Book Council. His well-rounded industry exposure has made him a frequent speaker at national and international events. His writings have appeared in various newspapers, journals, and publications, and he has penned a book on IP Reprographic Rights.
Co-Founder, Publishers Without Borders
Prashant Pathak is a publishing professional with over 20 years of experience in international publishing, licensing, business development, and content creation. He has held leadership roles across India, Europe, and global markets, most recently serving as Head of English Publishing Development & Global Co-Editions at Giunti Editore in Italy. He is also Co-Founder and Director of Publishers Without Borders, a worldwide network connecting publishing professionals across countries and cultures. Passionate about books, education, innovation, and international collaboration, Prashant has worked extensively with publishers, licensors, authors, and content creators to build successful publishing programs and global partnerships.
Senior Global Director Sustainability, Elsevier; Member, the IPLC IPA Committee
Rachel Martin is a leader in sustainability within the publishing industry, serving as Senior Global Director of Sustainability at Elsevier. She oversees the company’s Climate Action program, contributing to significant milestones that includes an 83% reduction in direct emissions since 2018. As an active member of the IPA’s Inclusive Publishing and Sustainability Committee, Rachel plays a key role in global initiatives like the UN Sustainable Development Goals Publishers Compact and the SDG Book Club, supporting chapters worldwide. As co-founder of the Publishing 2030 Accelerator, she has advanced projects such as carbon footprinting for print books. She also chairs the STM Social Responsibility Committee, developing practical tools to help publishers integrate sustainability into their operations.
Writer and Publisher, Dar al-Jadeed (Lebanon)
A publisher honored with her assassinated brother Lokman Slim by Prix Voltaire, a writer, her book Judgment Day written in Arabic was translated to English, French and Italian . She lives and works on memory and justice in Beirut.
Head, European Government Affairs, RELX
Richard joined RELX in 2016 leading the European government relations teams in the UK, France, Germany, Netherlands and EU. He also has responsibility for leading RELX’s engagement with global institutions WIPO and OECD. In this role he co-ordinates political engagement on policies including Artificial Intelligence, copyright, open science, and privacy. Prior to this Richard was Chief Executive of The Publishers Association (2010-16), and was concurrently Chair of the Alliance for Intellectual Property. Previously he was Director of Public Affairs at the BPI (British Recorded Music Industry (2006-10), following 12 years working in various political consultancy roles with Fleishman-Hillard and Edelman.
CEO, Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial México / CANIEM
Roberto Banchik Rothschild was born and raised in Mexico City. He has served as CEO of various publishing companies in Mexico including Grupo Planeta, Ediciones Castillo, and Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial since 2011, overseeing operations in Mexico, Central America, and the Spanish-language market in the US. He joined the IPA Executive Committee in 2020 and was elected to its Freedom to Publish Committee in 2022. Roberto has also been on Mexico’s Publishers Association Executive Committee multiple times and received the Publishing Trade Award from Mexico’s PA in 2021.
Executive Director, PEN International
Romana Cacchioli has over 25 years’ experience working in human rights and development. She joined PEN International in March 2014 as Director of International Programmes. Executive Director since October 2020, she works closely with the International Board and leads the Secretariat based in London, with oversight of the organisations work including emergency support to writers at risk, international advocacy, strategy setting and programmatic development. Romana’s experience in human rights, includes working with Anti-Slavery International where she led work pressing for reform in law and redress through national and regional courts for those affected by slavery. As well as with the International Centre for the Protection of Human Rights (INTERIGHTS) where she coordinated programmes in Asia and Africa, for the protection and enforcement of human rights standards.
Mozambican Publishers & Booksellers Association – AMEL
Sandra Tamele (BArch, MCIL) is the President of the Mozambican Publishers and Booksellers Association and serves on the International Committee of Independent Publishers, as an Advisory Board Member of PublisHer and the African Books Collective. Having translated 50 works by renowned authors, including Nobel Laureates Wole Soyinka and Naguib Mahfouz, she received a PEN Translates Award (2022), was longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award (2023) and awarded a Looren Excellence Grant (2025). As the founder of Editora Trinta Zero Nove, she received the London Book Fair International Excellence Award (2021) and the BOP Children’s Publisher of the Year Award(2023).
President, Malaysian Book Publishers Association (MABOPA)
Sheikh Faisal Sheikh Mansor (“Shake”) is a leading figure in the publishing industry in Malaysia and the ASEAN region. He is the Managing Director of Shake Book Projects Sdn Bhd, a boutique publishing and consultancy firm, and has more than 25 years of experience in publishing, bookselling, rights trading, and industry development. He serves as President of the Malaysian Book Publishers Association (MABOPA), President of the ASEAN Book Publishers Association (ABPA), Chair of the Malaysian Book Industry Council (MBIC), and a member of the Executive Committee of the International Publishers Association (IPA). He played a key role in Kuala Lumpur’s UNESCO World Book Capital 2020 programme and now advises Malaysian cities on UNESCO Learning City initiatives.
General Manager, Al Arabi Publishing and Distributing
Sherif Bakr has worked in publishing since 1997 and is General Manager of Al Arabi Publishing and Distributing, founded in 1975. He launched the #Different_Books series, which has published over 650 titles from 76 countries. He served as General Secretary of the Egyptian Publishers Association and has been elected four times to the International Publishers Association’s Freedom to Publish Committee. In Egypt, he is a member of several national cultural committees and contributed to formulating Egypt’s Cultural Vision 2040. He also leads Cairo Calling and coordinates Arab Voices, while speaking regularly at international book fairs.
President, Éditions Les 400 coups
Simon de Jocas, a seasoned educator and publisher with over 35 years of experience, began as a teacher before holding key roles in publishing houses like Beauchemin and Nelson. In 2013, he acquired Les 400 coups, a children’s publishing house, focusing on discoverability, accessibility, and diversity. Active in the industry, he serves on various committees including the Executive committee and the Freedom to Publish committee of the International Publishers’ Association. In 2020, he co-founded Publishers Without Borders (PWB) which bolds over 5 000 members. Known for his commitment to education, the French language, and editorial innovation, he is a leading figure in Francophone publishing.
Managing Director, Uma Publications Sdn. Bhd.; Chair, Educational Publishers Forum ASEAN+
Siva Sothinathan is a Malaysian educational publisher. He serves as Vice President of the Malaysian Book Publishers Association and Chair of the Educational Publishers Forum ASEAN+ at the International Publishers Association, where he works to strengthen collaboration and knowledge-sharing across diverse educational publishing markets. He is Managing Director of Uma Publications Sdn. Bhd., leading the development of multilingual educational materials in Tamil, English, and Bahasa Melayu. His work focuses on the intersection of education policy, publishing ecosystems, and market sustainability, and he collaborates with public-interest organisations and NGOs to support long-term educational development in Malaysia and the wider region.
Vice General Manager, China Education Publishing & Media Group Ltd.
Song Yidong, Vice General Manager of China Education Publishing & Media Group Ltd,is mainly engaged in the planning, management, research and practice in the fields of education publishing and media, with a particular focus on the digitalization and intellectualization of education publishing, as well as international exchanges and cooperation in this sector.
Managing Director, Pelangi Publishing Group
Sum Lih Kang is the Managing Director of Pelangi Publishing Group. He is also the current Honorary Treasurer of MABOPA and an Executive Committee member since 2015. He actively engages in activities related to publishing and education to keep abreast with the world educational trend. He aims to inspire and lead the way in educational excellence in an ever-changing global educational environment. Pelangi Publishing Group is a regional educational publishing and printing company since 1979, with operations in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. With its mission to raise education standards as an international education service provider, Pelangi constantly looks for the best solutions, especially digital solutions, in running its operations efficiently and delivering education materials to educators and learners.
Principal, The Future of Publishing, San Francisco, CA
Thad McIlroy is a publishing technology analyst and author based in San Francisco. His site, The Future of Publishing, provides in-depth coverage of book publishing industry trends, currently focusing on the intersection of AI with book authoring and publishing. He is a contributing editor to Publishers Weekly, covering artificial intelligence, digital innovation and publishing startups. McIlroy’s latest book is The AI Revolution in Book Publishing: A Concise Guide to Navigating Artificial Intelligence for Writers and Publishers. A well-established expert in the technology and marketing issues surrounding publishing technology, he has authored a dozen other books and over 400 articles. McIlroy is also a founding partner in Publishing Technology Partners.
Secretary General, ASEAN Book Publishers Association
Trasvin Jittidecharak founded Silkworm Books, Thailand’s leading independent English-language publisher on Southeast Asia Studies, which she still runs. It is recognized for its editorial quality and international distribution through the University of Washington Press. A Parsons-trained designer with further publishing education at Stanford, she has advanced global appreciation of Thai and regional scholarship through collaborations with institutions such as the École Française d’Extrême-Orient. Trasvin has served on the International Publishers Association’s Executive Committee and Freedom to Publish Committee, was instrumental in Bangkok’s designation as UNESCO World Book Capital 2013, and is the ASEAN Book Publishers Association Secretary General.
Chief Officer, Japan Book Publishers Association
I joined the Japan Book Publishers Association in 2012. Since then, I have been responsible for international relations and have served on the Committee for Freedom, Ethics, and the Responsibility of Publishers.We monitor trends in restrictions on book sales imposed by local governments (mostly due to explicit content), ensuring that publications are not unjustly restricted from sale. My recent concern is the increase in books that promote discriminatory narratives against minorities—such as non-Japanese residents, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, or those of certain faiths—as well as books that intentionally spread disinformation as a backlash against social movements for inclusion in Japan. While the Japanese Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, the ethics and responsibilities of publishers have become more critical than ever. JBPA is therefore working to strengthen awareness of ethical standards and the responsibilities publishers carry in society.
Director, National Book Trust; Ministry of Education, India
Mr. Yuvraj Malik assumed charge as Director of the National Book Trust (NBT), India’s premier publishing institution and nodal agency for publishing in India, on 8 January 2020. A seasoned administrator, he brings a distinguished career spanning key leadership roles in the Government of India and assignments with the United Nations Mission. He has also served as Chairman of the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology under the Ministry of Education, where he advanced linguistic inclusivity and the standardization of academic terminology across Indian languages. As Director of NBT, Mr. Malik has played a pivotal role in aligning the organization’s publishing vision with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, strengthening its mandate of accessible, inclusive, and knowledge-driven publishing. Under his leadership, NBT is implementing the prestigious PM-YUVA Mentorship Scheme, an initiative of the Ministry of Education aimed at nurturing young authors across India’s 22 official languages—reflecting his commitment to democratizing literary expression and amplifying youth voices on a global platform. Mr. Malik also serves as Chief Executive Officer of the New Delhi World Book Fair, the world’s largest B2C book fair. He has successfully conceptualized and curated over 15 major book festivals and literary events across India, significantly energizing the country’s publishing and reading ecosystem. Between 2023 and 2025, he spearheaded the Pune Book Festival, a landmark cultural initiative that achieved twelve Guinness World Records in book-related categories—underscoring his visionary leadership, innovative approach, and ability to mobilize communities around the culture of reading. As Nodal Officer for the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya Project, he is overseeing the development of a national digital library platform providing free access to e-books, thereby advancing digital inclusion and equitable access to knowledge across India.
Independent Political Cartoonist, Malaysia
Zunar’s first cartoon was published when he was 12 years old, in 1974. He has never received a formal education in arts, because he took the science stream. When he failed in UTM, he became a professional cartoonist by joining Gila-Gila, a very popular local cartoon magazine. Now he is an independent cartoonist. With the "How Can I be Neutral, Even My Pen Has a Stand", Zunar exposes corruption through his drawings. He has published 19 books – all banned by the BN's government, under which, he was also nabbed 7 times and was charged with 9 counts under the Sedition Act and slapped with a travel ban. Outside Malaysia, Zunar has received numerous awards, including the "Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award" and the "Cartooning For Peace", which was presented by Kofi Annan. He has also been invited to exhibit his works and give talks at several universities including Oxford and Harvard. Zunar was also invited to give a speech at the United Nations in Geneva, and at several cartoonist conventions in Washington, Paris, Bilbao, London, Amsterdam and Berlin.