Overview
- The fifth Sharjah Distributors Conference ended after two days, and organisers reported 912 participants, more than 300 professional meetings and 65 exhibitors, with Costa Rica, Zambia, Peru, Portugal, Ukraine and Kosovo taking part for the first time.
- Digital transformation was a top focus at the event, which ran workshops and innovation showcases on e-commerce platforms, AI-built websites and data-driven reader analysis to help distributors grow online sales.
- Speakers from major regional retailers and publishers such as Gramedia and Diwan presented strategies for reimagining libraries and shops as cultural hubs to sustain demand for printed books.
- The conference hosted 14 international and six Arabic workshops plus mentoring through the PublishHer platform, aimed at upskilling professionals and supporting women’s career progression in publishing.
- Organisers and participants stressed actionable follow-up — turning contacts and training into concrete steps such as new distribution agreements, improved metadata and inventory practices, and diversified revenue models for booksellers.