Publishing Futures connects emerging leaders across regional markets

The British Council in Malaysia brought together 10 emerging publishing leaders from Malaysia, Indonesia and the United Kingdom for the International Publishers Association (IPA) Congress in Kuala Lumpur, as part of its Publishing Futures programme.

The delegation was selected through an open call in April 2026, followed by a rigorous selection process. The six-day programme provided participants with opportunities to engage with publishers and senior figures from across the international publishing industry, while gaining insights into different approaches to publishing, bookselling and business development.

Ahead of the IPA Congress in early July, the delegates also took part in roundtable discussions with Malaysian publishers covering areas including buying and selling rights, freedom to publish and strategies for scaling small publishing businesses.

The programme was designed to strengthen professional networks while exposing participants to different cultural and commercial perspectives within the publishing sector.

Prihandini Nur Rahmah of Indonesian independent publisher Marjin Kiri said she joined the programme to better understand Malaysia’s publishing industry and explore potential connections between publishers in both countries.

She said her participation in the Kuala Lumpur Alternative Bookfest in 2025 and earlier this year had highlighted the limited availability of Malaysian authors’ books in Indonesia despite the quality of works being produced.

“The Publishing Futures programme allowed me to get to know the Malaysian book industry: to connect with other publishers in Malaysia and to open opportunities to collaborate with them,” she said.

Delegates explore new markets, partnerships and publishing models

For UK publisher Daniel Li of Sinoist Books, the programme provided an opportunity to examine Malaysia’s publishing industry within its own cultural and economic context, particularly its bookselling sector.

Sinoist Books focuses on literature from Chinese-speaking communities worldwide in English. Li said he was interested in exploring publishing, bookselling and distribution opportunities involving Sinophone communities across Southeast Asia.

Meetings facilitated by the British Council also connected him with representatives of the Malaysian Chinese Writers’ Association, opening up potential opportunities for future collaboration.

Meanwhile, Zalina Abdul Aziz, also known as Ninot Aziz, of Hikayat Fandom said the programme broadened her understanding of how publishers internationally develop sustainable ecosystems around their businesses.

She said the experience reinforced her view that publishing extends beyond producing books to building communities, partnerships and cultural connections.

“The most impactful publishers don’t simply produce books—they build ecosystems,” she said, adding that publishers could help create spaces where stories are experienced, shared and passed on to future generations.

British Council Malaysia Head of Arts and Creative Industries Florence Lambert said the programme aimed to help participants become leaders within their respective markets, while encouraging export deals and the exchange of books between countries.

“At the British Council, we aspire to create platforms that help creative professionals, like publishers, connect and understand each other and be the bridge between the industry across countries,” she said.

The IPA Congress brought together more than 500 publishers from 40 countries. The British Council’s collaboration with the IPA for the first time provided an avenue to strengthen links between the Malaysian, Indonesian and UK publishing sectors while supporting emerging publishing professionals in participating in international industry events.