Youssef's work
About Youssef
I'm Youssef Akef, a Dubai-based Creative Director and Film Director working across live events, cultural experiences and screen storytelling. Since 2014, my work has taken me across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, developing concepts and protecting the creative vision through production and delivery.
I bring together creative strategy, narrative, scenography, film and show direction to turn a brief into an experience with a clear story. My work spans government ceremonies, cultural festivals, brand launches and immersive experiences, including COP28, Expo 2020, the Sharjah International Narrator Forum, ADEK Value Awards and Al Ain Zoo Conservation Festival. My film work includes directing Al Rawy (2026), alongside brand films, short-form storytelling and AI-directed visual content.
At The Way Studio, I bring creative thinking, spatial design and production together, carrying ideas from the first concept to the final detail. I've collaborated with teams including Sela, JCDecaux, Linkviva, Al Sayegh and Jack Morton Worldwide.
My work includes two Guinness World Records: the largest bouquet of flowers at Al Ain Flower Festival, as Creative Producer, and the largest sentence made of palm leaves at Al Ain Zoo, as Creative Director. I was shortlisted for MESE Young Achiever of the Year in 2018, 2019 and 2025.
I hold diplomas in Event Management and Advertising, and speak English and Arabic.
I believe a strong idea earns its value in the way it is brought to life: on screen, on stage and in the spaces people move through.
I bring together creative strategy, narrative, scenography, film and show direction to turn a brief into an experience with a clear story. My work spans government ceremonies, cultural festivals, brand launches and immersive experiences, including COP28, Expo 2020, the Sharjah International Narrator Forum, ADEK Value Awards and Al Ain Zoo Conservation Festival. My film work includes directing Al Rawy (2026), alongside brand films, short-form storytelling and AI-directed visual content.
At The Way Studio, I bring creative thinking, spatial design and production together, carrying ideas from the first concept to the final detail. I've collaborated with teams including Sela, JCDecaux, Linkviva, Al Sayegh and Jack Morton Worldwide.
My work includes two Guinness World Records: the largest bouquet of flowers at Al Ain Flower Festival, as Creative Producer, and the largest sentence made of palm leaves at Al Ain Zoo, as Creative Director. I was shortlisted for MESE Young Achiever of the Year in 2018, 2019 and 2025.
I hold diplomas in Event Management and Advertising, and speak English and Arabic.
I believe a strong idea earns its value in the way it is brought to life: on screen, on stage and in the spaces people move through.