Shortlist For The PublisHer Excellence Awards 2026 Released

PublisHer has unveiled the shortlisted candidates for the PublisHer Excellence Awards 2026, which drew 102 nominations spanning 34 nationalities, reflecting the diversity and international influence of women shaping the publishing ecosystem today.

Shortlist for Lifetime Achievement Award include Ana María Cabanellas, President and Publisher, Grupo Claridad(Argentina); Orietta Fatucci, Publisher and CEO, Edizioni EL (Italy); and María Esperanza Espinosa Barragán (Peggy Espinosa), Director and Publisher, Petra Ediciones (Mexico). While, shortlist for Innovation Award include Monique Leite, Founder and Director, PlenaVoz(Brazil); Adibah Binti Omar CEO, Perbadanan Kota Buku Malaysia (Malaysia); and Kinga Jentetics, CEO and Co-founder, PublishDrive (USA).

Shortlist for Emerging Leader Award include Ana María Bermúdez, Penguin Random House (Mexico); Tara Khandelwal, Founder and Managing Director, Bound (India) and Ovueroghene Shalom Shaba, Managing Editor, Krafted (Nigeria).

The winners of the PublisHer Excellence Awards 2026 will be officially announced in April 2026 at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

PublisHer Founder, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, said,“This year’s shortlist reflects the staggering breadth of women’s leadership in publishing, from infrastructure reform and technological innovation to cultural preservation and emerging entrepreneurial vision.”