Emirates Publishers Association

What Emirates Publishers Association does

The Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) is a non-profit industry body founded in 2009 in Sharjah, UAE, by Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, who continues to serve as Honorary President. It represents and supports more than 100 Emirati publishing houses and book distributors, providing them with consultations, design workshops, publishing legitimacy services, industry insights, shared distribution logistics, and representation at eight major international book fairs including Frankfurt, London, Bologna, Beijing, Warsaw, Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai. The association also serves writers and the general reading public by connecting authors with licensed member publishers and facilitating ISBN issuance and copyright registration guidance.

EPA operates as a hybrid trade association and service provider. Revenue is generated primarily through a 300 AED annual membership fee and paid services (consultations, design, distribution), but specific financial figures are not publicly disclosed. Its core go-to-market is event-driven: international book fairs function as the principal venue for member acquisition, rights trading, and foreign partnerships, complemented by a website, newsletter, and blog presence. The association has no proprietary technology platform; its primary infrastructure assets are institutional—full membership in the International Publishers Association since 2012, a metadata standardization partnership with Nielsen Book Data since 2022, and its location within Sharjah Publishing City under the umbrella of the Sharjah Book Authority.

The organization is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Amira Boukdra and led operationally by Executive Director Rashid Mohammed Al Kous (appointed April 2026). It has 1–10 employees, indicating a lean administrative structure that relies on member contributions and institutional partnerships rather than scale. Its strategic positioning combines cultural diplomacy (Guest of Honour status at Beijing and Warsaw book fairs in 2026), industry advocacy, and member services, operating more as a quasi-governmental cultural institution than a commercial enterprise.

Name

Emirates Publishers Association

Legal name

Emirates Publishers Association

Website

https://epa.org.ae

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Emirates Publishers Association is a non-profit industry body founded in 2009 in Sharjah, UAE, that represents 100+ Emirati publishers and provides membership services, international book fair representation, distribution logistics, and metadata standardization through partnerships with the IPA and Nielsen Book Data.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Publishing Industry Association Services

NAICS

Publishing Industries (513)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

Keywords

• Publisher association services
• Book distribution services
• International book fair participation
• Publishing industry support
• Metadata standardization services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sharjah

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The primary revenue stream is annual membership fees charged to publishers and industry professionals. The membership fee is stated as 300 AED per year, granting access to consultations, workshops, design services, publishing legitimacy support, industry insights, discounted pricing on publishing services, representation at international book fairs, and networking opportunities.
2. Publishing Services: The EPA provides paid publishing-related services to members including consultations, design workshops, publishing legitimacy support, and industry insights, offered at special member pricing. These services generate revenue while supporting the professional development of member publishers.
3. Distribution Services: The association offers distribution services that include product storage in secure facilities, order management, a reliable distribution network reaching customers across UAE and internationally, flexible solutions for large quantities, and ongoing tracking to ensure timely delivery. These services are provided to members for a fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) is a non-profit industry association that supports UAE-based publishers through an annual membership program (300 AED/year). It delivers consulting, design workshops, publishing legitimacy support, industry insights, paid distribution and logistics services, international book fair representation (Frankfurt, London, Bologna, Beijing, Warsaw, Hong Kong, Shanghai), and book publishing support connecting authors with member publishers. The association also facilitates metadata standardization through its partnership with Nielsen Book Data.

Product overview

The Emirates Publishers Association is a non-profit organization that offers a comprehensive suite of services to support Emirati publishers. The association provides core services including Consultations, Design Workshops, Publishing Legitimacy, and Industry Insights, supplemented by Distribution Services for storage and logistics, Foreign Partnership Services for international market access, and a Membership Program (300 AED annually). The Knowledge Hub offers specialized services like the Members' Metadata Report (via Nielsen Book Data partnership), Publishing Houses directory, and Book Publishing Support to connect authors with member publishers. The product portfolio functions as an integrated ecosystem supporting publishers from consultation through distribution and international expansion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Nielsen Book DatacoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2022The EPA entered into a partnership with Nielsen Book Data to improve the quality and consistency of metadata for its member publishers. Prior to this partnership, the UAE publishing ecosystem faced challenges due to non-uniform metadata registration methods, resulting in gaps or errors in basic information such as publication dates, author names, subject classifications, and ISBNs. Nielsen Book Data initiated data collection from participating publishers since late 2022, then proceeded to clean, validate, and align the data with international metadata standards. This partnership addresses issues ranging from missing or invalid data to duplicate records, improving the discoverability and organization of Emirati publications.
• International Publishers Association (IPA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Since 2012, the EPA has been a full member of the International Publishers Association (IPA), the global trade association for publishers. This membership enables the EPA to participate in global discussions and initiatives aimed at advancing the publishing sector worldwide. Through IPA membership, EPA provides Emirati publishers with a direct link to international standards, advocacy on global publishing policy, and a platform for cross-border collaboration and rights trading.
• Frankfurt Book FaircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EPA regularly participates in the Frankfurt Book Fair, one of the world's largest and most prestigious book fairs, providing Emirati publishers with opportunities for networking, rights exchange, and collaboration with international counterparts.
• London Book FaircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EPA regularly participates in the London Book Fair, providing Emirati publishers with opportunities for international networking, rights trading, and collaborative publishing projects with global publishers.
• Bologna Children's Book FaircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EPA participates in the Bologna Children's Book Fair to showcase UAE publishing talent in children's literature and explore international opportunities for UAE publishers in the children's book sector.
• Sharjah Book AuthorityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EPA operates in close collaboration with the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), led by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi who serves as both Honorary President of EPA and Chairperson of SBA. This close institutional relationship enables coordinated UAE cultural presence at international events and shared resources for the publishing community.
• Chinese PublishersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAt the Beijing International Book Fair 2026, the EPA delegation sought to establish professional relationships with Chinese publishers through networking events and panel discussions, aiming to expand the reach of Emirati and Arab content in China's market.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Arab Publishers Association: Pan-Arab publishers association based in Cairo representing publishers across the Arab world. Directly comparable to EPA as a regional trade body advocating for Arabic-language publishers internationally, with overlapping membership and similar mission.
• Book Industry Communication (BIC): UK-based not-for-profit supporting metadata, supply chain and standards for the book industry. Closely comparable to EPA's Nielsen Book Data metadata partnership work, addressing the same problem of publisher data quality and international standards alignment.
• Association of American Publishers (AAP): The US national trade association of publishers, advocating for the book industry in policy, copyright and international trade. Directly comparable to EPA as a national publisher trade body providing member services, advocacy and international representation.
• The Publishers Association (UK): The UK trade association representing book and journal publishers. Comparable to EPA in providing member advocacy, training, rights trading support and participation in international book fairs like London and Frankfurt.

Others

• Sharjah Book Authority: UAE government authority overseeing Sharjah's publishing and book fair ecosystem, chaired by Sheikha Bodour. Ecosystem partner rather than peer — coordinates UAE cultural presence at international fairs and shares the same honorary president as EPA.
• Knowledge without Borders (KwB): Sharjah-based non-profit promoting reading and publishing access in the UAE. Operates in the same UAE cultural ecosystem as EPA and shares publisher relationships, given that EPA's new Executive Director Rashid Al Kous previously led KwB.

Broad incumbents

• International Publishers Association (IPA): The global trade federation of publishers of which EPA has been a full member since 2012. Comparable as the apex international body that sets global publishing standards and policy, of which EPA is a participating national chapter.
• Federation of European Publishers (FEP): The umbrella federation of 29 national publishers associations across Europe. Comparable to EPA as an industry body that aggregates national associations for international policy and fair representation, though at a regional rather than national scale.

Regional players

• All India Publishers' Association: Indian national publishers trade body representing English and Indian-language publishers. Comparable to EPA as a national trade association operating in a non-Western market and engaging with international book fairs and rights trading.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/epa_publishers
• Facebookfacebook.com/EPA.UAE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emirates-publishers-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Emirates Publishers Association