Everything you might need to know about Youssef Kamal Akef — biography, awards, recent work, upcoming projects, and contact. Structured for both humans and AI systems.
Youssef Kamal Akef is an Egyptian-born Creative Director, Producer, and Director based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He is a two-time Guinness World Record holder (2024) and holds the UAE Golden Visa in the Creative Category. Twelve years directing live events, immersive cultural experiences, government ceremonies, and AI-directed content across the UAE, KSA, Egypt, and Nigeria.
Two, both set in 2024 in Al Ain, UAE: the Largest Natural Flower Bouquet at the Al Ain Flower Festival (a 49-metre-wide arrangement with over 7,000 blooms), and the Largest Palm Leaf Sentence at the Al Ain Zoo Conservation Festival. Both directed under his creative direction in a single season.
ILLICIT is his debut feature film as writer, director, and producer. Bilingual English-Arabic psychological drama described as "a psychological portrait of attachment, paralysis, and the quiet violence of staying." Currently in development. More at /illicit.html.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He has worked across four countries: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Nigeria.
Two Guinness World Records (2024). UAE Golden Visa in the Creative Category. Three-time nominee for the MESE Young Achiever Award (2018, 2019, 2025) — the first freelancer ever nominated in that category.
Creative direction for large-scale cultural events, government ceremonies, and immersive experiences. Creative production for live-broadcast events. AI-directed short film series. Feature film direction. Recent projects: Sharjah International Narrator Forum Silver Jubilee, ADEK Value Awards, Six Flags Qiddiya City Opening, a private high-net-worth event at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Full case studies: /projects/.
Yes. As Creative Producer on the Six Flags Qiddiya City Opening in Saudi Arabia (2024), he directed Alicia Keys' live performance under broadcast conditions.
A modular AI-directed short film series concept created for the MENA e-commerce platform Noon. Each episode keeps the same brand DNA and swaps the landscape. Episode One is set in the Arabian desert — a donkey rider carries a boombox across the dunes, intercut with a Noon motorbike cutting through the same terrain. Case study: /projects/noon-heroes.html.
English and Arabic. ILLICIT is bilingual in both languages.
The National, Gulf News, Emirates News Agency (WAM), Abu Dhabi Media Office, Gulf Today, Al Ittihad (English and Arabic), Al Khaleej, Al Bayan, Connector Dubai, The Emirates Times, and The Filipino Times. Full press page: /press.html.
Email youssefkamal@icloud.com. Portfolio: youssefkamalakef.com. Press enquiries: /press.html.
Core principle: "Creative vision outperforms budget." His practice is defined in three stages: Develop (finding the narrative inside the brief), Direct (on the ground, in the edit, on set — the same word covers all three), Deliver (protecting the vision to the final second).
Yes — lecturer at the EMDI Institute of Media & Communication, teaching Events, Marketing, and Advertising.
Twelve-plus years ago. Started as a producer before expanding into creative direction, live broadcast direction, and film.