Business Leaders of Today, Business Leaders of the Future

Q: What inspired the creation of the Business Book Fair? 

A: The first edition of the Business Book Fair will take place on Sept. 23–24 at El Cantoral in Mexico City. It is a new kind of business event inspired by traditional book fairs. It is the first and only book fair entirely focused on business.

The goal is to connect today’s and tomorrow’s business leaders with the best business content and literature to help them become better entrepreneurs. It is not just about making more money; it is about building a more resilient, inclusive, and diverse company, anticipating global trends, and leading high-impact teams. It is about balancing work, family, health, and personal life. If we can contribute even a little, through a book, a conversation, or a presentation, to helping business leaders improve, we can also help create stronger companies, a healthier business ecosystem, and a better Mexican economy. 

Q: What types of leaders does Mexico need, given the country’s economic, political, and technological changes?

A: That is one of the central topics that will be addressed at the Business Book Fair, as many of our authors and content partners are asking themselves the same thing. Business Book Fair aims to be intergenerational, intersectoral, and even intersectional, because the challenges Mexico and the world face require that kind of business leadership.

Historically, business leadership was more narrowly defined, but that is no longer the case. A business leader is as diverse as any Mexican citizen, and that is something to embrace and promote.

Q: What characteristics do great leaders in Mexico share?

A: If you ask an entrepreneur who their role model is, it is often someone who reads extensively. Many articles and chapters are dedicated to what that person has read and the top books they recommend. This is a universal trait. Unfortunately, encouraging reading is a tough argument to make today because many people simply do not read. That is one thing we want to change.

The profile of leaders varies significantly with age. We have identified two main audiences: “leaders of today” and “leaders of the future.” Leaders of today are established business owners and executives already making decisions. Leaders of the future are typically younger, often entrepreneurs or startup founders, and sometimes still in school but ready to enter the business world.

That is why our two-day program is split: Sep. 23 will focus on leaders of today, covering strategy, senior management, business succession, and understanding AI for decision-making. Sep. 24 will focus on leaders of the future, with topics like entrepreneurship, innovation, success stories, and financial freedom, providing a complete toolkit for building a business.

Q: How will the Business Book Fair facilitate insight sharing and networking?

A: The format has three pillars: conferences, the book fair, and networking. The conferences will include keynote speeches, book presentations, fireside chats, and panel discussions, held in the Cantoral’s 700-seat auditorium. The book stands will be located in a 400m2 exhibition space just outside the auditorium. This area will feature traditional publishers, but also other business content providers such as media outlets, experts, and digital formats like podcasts and case studies.

The networking component will take place throughout the fair, but each day will end with a special event. Day one will close with a cocktail reception for leaders of today. Day two will end with a “Fuckup Night” led by Pepe Villatoro, where entrepreneurs share lessons from their failures — this will have a more casual, startup-friendly atmosphere.

Q: How are you supporting business education initiatives to help entrepreneurs?

A: Collaboration with universities is key to us. We have a volunteer program so students can participate and learn from those on the inside. We are also working with institutions to ensure that students from public universities who might not be able to afford a ticket can attend.

That said, business education does not only happen in classrooms. It is also about mindset, practical learning, and exposure. Some people learn from family businesses; others from formal business schools. There is no single educational model for teaching entrepreneurship, but we should recognize that it can be learned and that everyone has the potential to do it, even if not everyone chooses to.

We aim to make knowledge more accessible. For the leaders of today, this might mean creating an intergenerational bridge and removing technical jargon barriers. For the leaders of the future, it is about showing them that they can succeed and giving them the confidence to try.

Q: What objectives does the Business Book Fair aim to achieve?

A: Our first goal is to have a highly engaged, diverse audience (over 3,500 people over the two days) actively participating in talks, networking, and buying books. Beyond that, we aim to create a local business community centered on knowledge rather than transactions. Too often, business events are purely transactional. We want Business Book Fair to spark ongoing initiatives like a monthly book club, with partners like Penguin Random House, CANIEM, and COPARMEX already expressing interest.

If we can consolidate such a community in Mexico City, the model could be replicated in Monterrey, Guadalajara, or even internationally in cities like London or Singapore, adapting to local contexts.

The Business Book Fair is exclusively dedicated to strengthening business and business leaders in Mexico through literature, networking, and conferences.