“When entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem enablers all come together to promote their region with one voice—magic happens.”

In an age where most content lives online and attention spans are shrinking, Global Village Publishing Inc. has built a powerful global brand by going against the grain—through beautifully crafted books rooted in purpose, passion, and print. Founded by South African Sven Boermeester, the company has become a storytelling force across six continents, with its signature INNOVATE and Best Of series transforming how cities, companies, entrepreneurs, and communities tell their stories to the world.

Headquartered in Canada and active in over 60 countries, Global Village Publishing is not just producing books—it’s building ecosystems. Its high-impact coffee-table publications are designed to attract investment, foster collaboration, and celebrate authentic innovation at a local level, making each volume a calling card for the future of a city or sector. And at the heart of it all lies a commitment to home. “All our production for the world is run out of South Africa,” says Sven.

“I’m incredibly proud we can employ South Africans at home to do all our global design, editing, and production. It’s our way of giving back while keeping our standards world-class.”

That strong connection to his roots in South Africa is no accident. Having visited over 100 countries and nearly 500 cities, Sven has discovered one constant: South Africans are making waves in every corner of the world. “Whether I’m in Dublin or Dubai, Jakarta or Johannesburg, I always seem to cross paths with a Saffa doing something extraordinary,” Sven says.

The journey began in South Africa, where Sven’s passion for publishing took root. “I started out producing trade directories,” he recalls. “But the weak Rand pushed me to look outward. Like many South Africans, I chased opportunity in stronger economies.”

His next stops were New Zealand and Dubai, where he launched the Best Of series, capturing the essence of cities, countries, and industries that were otherwise overlooked on the global stage. “At the time, only places hosting the America’s Cup or Olympics were getting this kind of attention,” says Sven. “But I thought every city deserves a showcase. Every country has stories worth telling.”

From Dubai, the Best Of series expanded rapidly—Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. “We turned it into a platform that governments could use to honour VIPs, attract investment, and market their countries to the world,” he explains.

But, in the United States, Global Village Publishing underwent its biggest transformation. In Tampa Bay, local leaders asked Sven and his team for something different—something that could galvanise a city, not just flatter it. “They didn’t want another glossy promo piece,” he says. “They wanted to rebrand Tampa Bay as an innovation hub. That’s when INNOVATE was born.”

The INNOVATE model stripped away traditional advertising and replaced it with authentic storytelling. “It’s not about who can pay to be in the book—it’s about who should be in the book,” Sven says. “We map the true innovation ecosystem—startups, tech hubs, universities, public and private partners—and tell their stories in a way people want to share.”

“Global Village Publishing is calling on entrepreneurial South Africans to partner with us in launching new INNOVATE and Women of the Future editions across the UK.”

The result? A runaway hit. The first edition sold 3,500 copies and united the city’s innovators around a common identity. “It worked because it wasn’t just another book,” Sven says. “It was a movement. People felt proud to be part of something that truly reflected their city’s potential.”

From there, the company scaled up fast. Within five years, INNOVATE expanded to over 60 cities across the globe, with a new volume launching nearly every month.

The company’s community-first approach has resonated deeply with governments, chambers of commerce, universities, and innovation councils. “When entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem enablers all come together to promote their region with one voice—magic happens,” Sven says. “It’s collaborative marketing at its most powerful.”

And while Sven Boermeester may be the founder, he’s quick to point out that Global Village Publishing is about more than just one man’s journey—it’s about the stories of those shaping tomorrow. It’s a reminder that no matter where South Africans go, we carry our country with us.