Sharjah24: The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has shared an enhanced iteration of its development strategy with its Board of Directors, at its second board meeting held at Sharjah Publishing City on the sidelines of the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF 2024).

Following initial consultations undertaken as part of its first meeting in November 2023, the board, led by its Chairperson Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, has commenced the implementation of a three-pillar strategy focusing on Growth and Expansion, Strategic Partnership and Diversification, and Innovation and Empowerment. This approach is aimed at widening the SBA’s impact and further enhancing Sharjah’s position as an international hub for publishing, reprographics, translation, bookselling, and illustration, while addressing global trends in the knowledge economy and the opportunities presented by technological advancements in the book and creative sectors. 
 
Commenting on the meeting, SBA Chairperson Sheikha Bodour said: “Following our initial meeting, I reviewed the proposed initiatives, and it’s now clear that we are moving in the right direction to ensure the SBA's growth, expansion, and sustainability. With all the changes taking place in the world, and in the international publishing ecosystem, I believe we have an unprecedented opportunity to further cement Sharjah’s role as a nexus for publishing and book industry development, benefiting all our partners.” 

These valuable insights were further enriched by Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA, who presented a comprehensive review of the previous six months, as well as an overview of the Authority's plan for the remainder of 2024. He noted: “Under the leadership and guidance of Sheikha Bodour, our vision has expanded, and our ambitions have grown to strengthen Sharjah's status on the global publishing and cultural capitals maps. Moreover, we have witnessed the profoundly positive impact of the strategy the SBA board implemented last year, locally and globally.”

At the meeting the board also welcomed new additions from the UAE publishing ecosystem namely, Sultan Al Ameemi, Chairman of the Emirates Writers Union; Majd Al Shehhi, Director of Emirates Reprographic Rights Association (ERRA) and Fahad Al Mamari, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Library, and Information. Sheikha Bodour emphasised that this expansion was a significant step towards consolidating SBA’s efforts to integrate cross-sectoral expertise and thought leadership of distinguished voices who are shaping the future of intellectual property, library affairs, authorship, and more in the UAE. 

On conclusion of the meeting agenda, the SBA sought to leverage the diverse expertise of its board by establishing working groups alongside SBA departmental directors to examine the three strategic pillars and move forward with focus and purpose.

“We view these working groups as mini think tanks to guide SBA progress and to shape our collective vision into tangible, actionable strategies. I was delighted by the outcomes of these fruitful discussions. With the support of our incredible Board of Directors, I am confident we will not only face the challenges ahead, but also make the most of the opportunities at hand,” added Sheikha Bodour.