First Panel of the “Nationwide BookCity Managers Summit”:
BookCity Redesign Meeting: Reimagining a Cultural City Through Collective Presence
In a strategic meeting focused on the future of BookCity—Iran’s leading cultural retail and community network—the session opened with remarks by Ali Jafarabadi, CEO of the Institute. He was joined by Alireza Farzin, Maryam Zolfaghari, Ali Zand, and Seyed Hossein Ghazizadeh, each of whom outlined new missions and strategic directions for BookCity within its evolving organizational structure.
Founded as more than a chain of bookstores, BookCity has grown into a nationwide cultural ecosystem that combines books, ideas, public dialogue, and community life. With dozens of branches across Iran, it functions as a shared civic space where reading, cultural participation, and social interaction intersect.
CEO’s Address: Reengineering BookCity and the Power of “Being Together”
Ali Jafarabadi, CEO of the Institute, emphasized the idea of shared citizenship within the BookCity network and presented a comprehensive roadmap for the organization’s future:
- A Cultural Metropolis: BookCity is not merely a retail space but a cultural metropolis—a living city that flourishes through human presence, interaction, and collective meaning-making.
- Structural Reengineering: Four evolutionary stages were outlined for BookCity’s growth:
- Roots – people as the foundation
- Pillars – professional processes and systems
- Life Flow – energy, passion, and cultural vitality
- Economic Sustainability – long-term viability and growth
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Moving beyond personal opinions toward decisions grounded in data and insight, enabling the creation of new opportunities in a changing cultural market.
- A Culture of Action: Four guiding principles for leadership—timely articulation of problems, proposing solutions alongside challenges, reliance on data, and continuous course correction while moving forward.
Creative Communications: From Shared Narrative to Coordinated Action
Alireza Farzin, Deputy for Creative Communications and Head of the Executive Office, reframed BookCity as a shared narrative rather than a collection of shelves and cash registers:
- Media and Visual Identity: Developing a unified visual and communicative identity to foster a shared emotional experience among audiences and to scale successful local practices.
- Information and Data: Aligning narratives with verified data and redesigning the BookCity website around a dynamic, interactive map of branches and activities.
- Points of Contact: Introducing a designated media liaison in each branch to serve as a key communication gateway.
Network Oversight and Support: Physical Growth and Standardization
Maryam Zolfaghari, Head of Network Launch, Oversight, and Support, presented an overview of BookCity’s extensive branch network:
- Continuous Monitoring: Ensuring service quality and standardizing operational processes across branches.
- Hands-On Support: Assisting branch managers with physical expansion and resolving day-to-day operational challenges.
Development and Experience: Intellectual and Digital Growth
Focusing on intellectual development, Ali Zand, Head of Development and Experience, addressed the need to move beyond fragmented, isolated activities:
- A Model of Togetherness: A triad of thinking, motivation, and collaborative culture as the backbone of the new organizational structure.
- Innovation and Learning: Emphasizing continuous learning and the development of digital and software infrastructures as key drivers of BookCity’s future.
Legal Advisory: Safeguarding the BookCity Brand
Seyed Hossein Ghazizadeh, Legal Advisor to the Institute, provided a transparent account of efforts to protect the BookCity name and reputation:
- Legal Defense: Managing legal cases and external challenges directed at the BookCity brand.
- Network Security: Creating a safe legal and commercial environment for branch managers—acting as a gatekeeper for brand integrity.
Watch the Full Session
The full video of this session is available on BookCity’s visual media platforms:
Watch on YouTube
|
Watch on Aparat
This meeting marked a significant step in BookCity’s ongoing transformation—from a cultural retail brand into a fully articulated cultural city, built on collaboration, data-informed strategy, and the enduring power of being together.
