Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi

In January 2023, Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi was appointed Chairperson of the Board of Trustees and President of American University of Sharjah to align the institution with Sharjah's socio-economic, workforce and innovation priorities. She was the first woman to hold this role, making this a historic appointment for the institution. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Archaeology and Anthropology from the University of Cambridge (1999) and a Master of Science in Medical Anthropology from University College London (2002).

A globally recognized leader in publishing and cultural development, Sheikha Bodour founded Kalimat Publishing Group in 2007, the first dedicated Arabic-language children's publisher in the UAE, which has published more than 500 titles in over 15 countries with a focus on socially conscious Arabic children's literature. She served as the International Publishers Association's second-ever female and first-ever Arab president since the influential global association's founding in 1896. She also founded PublisHer, a 1,000+ member global community of female publishing leaders addressing publishing's diversity and inclusion challenges.

As Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, Sheikha Bodour has mobilized more than $26 billion in foreign direct investment and created more than 45,000 jobs. As Chairperson of Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), her work has supported over 450 startups that have raised over $297 million in funding. She was appointed Chairperson of Sharjah Book Authority in May 2023 to solidify Sharjah's status as an emerging global publishing hub. In July 2025, the University of Leicester conferred upon her an Honorary Professorship—its first-ever honorary professorship and one of its highest honours—in recognition of her contributions to women's empowerment, child literacy and cultural development. She was named UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Education and Book Culture.

Career History

• Founder and CEO of Kalimat Publishing Group (2007–present)
• President of International Publishers Association (2021–2022)
• Chairperson of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (since 2009)
• Chairperson of Sharjah Book Authority (since May 2023)
• Chairperson of Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP)

What Sheikha Bodour could bring to American University of Sharjah: Her appointment leverages her proven track record in scaling research-driven initiatives (through SRTIP's $150 million innovation push), scaling entrepreneurship ecosystems (Sheraa's $297 million in startup funding), and international institution-building credentials. Her expertise in translating knowledge into economic impact—demonstrated through $26 billion in investment mobilized and 45,000+ jobs created at Shurooq—positions her to strengthen AUS's alignment with regional economic diversification and global research competitiveness, while her UNESCO and University of Leicester recognition underscore her capacity to elevate institutional standing on the world stage.