Bodour Al Qasimi is a global leader in the publishing and cultural industries and a passionate advocate for reading and literacy. She is the Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority, which manages the Sharjah International Book Fair, the world's largest book fair. Bodour has founded several organizations to boost the UAE's publishing sector, including the Emirates Publishers Association, the UAE Board on Books for Young People and Knowledge Without Borders. She is also the founder of Kalimat Group, a global publishing and edtech company. She also chaired the Sharjah World Book Capital 2019 Committee and led efforts to establish the Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association.

Bodour Al Qasimi served as the International Publishers Association's second-ever female and first-ever Arab President, and she is the founder of PublisHer, a 1,000+ member global community of female publishing leaders. She is a tireless advocate of cultural diversity and inclusion, and her work has helped to transform Sharjah into a global cultural hub. In addition to her leadership roles, she is also an accomplished author, having recently won a prestigious award at the BolognaRagazzi Awards for her book, "The House of Wisdom," becoming the first woman from her region to win this award.