Join us in celebrating the remarkable achievements of women in the publishing industry as we pave the way for a brighter and more inclusive future. The PublisHer Excellence Awards have been created with a three-fold mission to celebrate women’s professional achievements, champion diversity, equity, and inclusion and promote professional development.
Award Categories
EMERGING LEADER
Celebrating a rising publishing star who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, big-picture thinking, and the ability to drive positive change.
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Criteria: Maximum age 35 or under and must be a publisher
INNOVATION
Recognizing significant contributions to the publishing business, from innovative storytelling, content curation, and editorial leadership to management strategies, company culture, marketing campaigns.
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Criteria: Any innovation in the publishing industry. Must be working directly within the book publishing industry.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Acknowledging a trailblazing, veteran female publisher who has made a significant and lasting impact on the industry throughout her career.
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Criteria: Must have a minimum career length of 20 years and must be a publisher
Awards Timeline
October 15, 2025
Nominations open
Nominations close
January 12, 2026
March 12, 2026
Shortlist announced
Winners announced
April 2026
Awards Timeline 2026
October 15, 2025
Nominations open
January 12, 2026
Nominations close
March 12, 2026
Shortlist announced
April 2026
Winners announced
Awards Timeline 2026
October 15, 2025
Nominations open
January 12, 2026
Nominations close
March 12, 2026
Shortlist announced
April 2026
Winners announced
Celebrating Women in Publishing Since 2024
The PublisHer Excellence Awards 2025
Emerging Leader
Alexandra Hightower
Senior Editor
LBYR at Hachette Book Group
Humairaa Dudhwala
Assistant Editor
Manchester University Press
Mirame Khamis
CEO and Founder
Asfoura Books
Innovation
Mercy Kirui
Senior Manager Publishing
eKitabu
Yan Shi
General Manager
Children’s Fun Publishing Pvt. Ltd
Hana Hamzeh
CEO and Founder
Firfree FZE
Lifetime Achievement
Dalia Ibrahim
CEO, Nahdet Misr
Publishing House
Sally Kim
President
Little Brown and Company
Orietta Fatucci
Publisher and CEO
Edizioni EL
The start of our journey…
The first edition of the PublisHer Excellence Awards in 2024 had a tremendous impact on all our nominees and winners. It has helped us to build a growing platform to recognize, honour and celebrate the contributions of 
The full list of nominees and winners from 2024.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
The Publisher Excellence Awards are a recognition program that celebrates and honours the outstanding achievements of female publishers.
PublisHer is the organizer of these awards.
Female publishers from diverse backgrounds and industries are eligible to participate. Awards have specific requirements.
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Must have a minimum career length of 20 years and must be a publisher
- Emerging Leader Award – Maximum age 35 or under and must be a publisher
- Innovation Award – Any innovation in the publishing industry. Must be working directly within the book publishing industry.
Nominations can be submitted through the official PublisHer website or by following links on PublisHer social media platforms.
Yes you can
There is no nomination fee for the awards
Judging for the awards is done by the PublisHer Excellence Awards committee and they evaluate the submissions based on predetermined criteria to select the winners.
Awarding ceremony is being hosted at the International Bologna Children’s Bookfair, Bologna, Italy. More details will be shared closer to the time.
Winners receive a trophy recognizing their achievement as well as, media exposure such as curated PR.
Awarding ceremony is being hosted at the International Bologna Children’s Bookfair, Bologna, Italy. More details will be shared closer to the time.
To stay up to date, you can regularly check the PublisHer website , follow social media channels, X, Linkedin & Instagram, or subscribe to the PublisHer newsletter.
