I’m a senior creative leader with 25+ years of agency and consultancy experience across the UK, Gulf, and Europe. I’m bilingual in English and Arabic, and I’ve led campaigns for Qatar Airways, P&G, GSK, Volvo, Dubai Expo 2020, and Arab Bank while shaping brand narratives for global audiences. I co-founded a full-service agency in Dubai and have acted as an embedded creative director for in-house teams to scale output and quality. Now based in Portugal, I’m open to senior creative leadership roles — agency-side, in-house, or consulting. I’ve built and led teams, developed proprietary brand-architecture methodologies to diagnose identity gaps and unlock growth, and I’m equally comfortable setting creative vision at board level or getting hands-on with execution. I’m available for senior leadership opportunities in diverse setups and geographies.…

Jalal Kassam

I’m a senior creative leader with 25+ years of agency and consultancy experience across the UK, Gulf, and Europe. I’m bilingual in English and Arabic, and I’ve led campaigns for Qatar Airways, P&G, GSK, Volvo, Dubai Expo 2020, and Arab Bank while shaping brand narratives for global audiences. I co-founded a full-service agency in Dubai and have acted as an embedded creative director for in-house teams to scale output and quality. Now based in Portugal, I’m open to senior creative leadership roles — agency-side, in-house, or consulting. I’ve built and led teams, developed proprietary brand-architecture methodologies to diagnose identity gaps and unlock growth, and I’m equally comfortable setting creative vision at board level or getting hands-on with execution. I’m available for senior leadership opportunities in diverse setups and geographies.…

Available to hire

I’m a senior creative leader with 25+ years of agency and consultancy experience across the UK, Gulf, and Europe. I’m bilingual in English and Arabic, and I’ve led campaigns for Qatar Airways, P&G, GSK, Volvo, Dubai Expo 2020, and Arab Bank while shaping brand narratives for global audiences. I co-founded a full-service agency in Dubai and have acted as an embedded creative director for in-house teams to scale output and quality. Now based in Portugal, I’m open to senior creative leadership roles — agency-side, in-house, or consulting.

I’ve built and led teams, developed proprietary brand-architecture methodologies to diagnose identity gaps and unlock growth, and I’m equally comfortable setting creative vision at board level or getting hands-on with execution. I’m available for senior leadership opportunities in diverse setups and geographies.

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Skills

Experience Level

Language

English
Fluent
Arabic
Fluent

Work Experience

Creative Consultant & Brand Architect at Independent Practice
January 1, 2016 - Present
Led brand strategy and creative direction for international clients including Qatar Airways, Dubai Expo 2020, Dunkin' Donuts, and Jelly Belly—from brand positioning through campaign execution. Acted as embedded creative director for clients scaling their in-house teams, overseeing output, team structure, and quality standards. Developed a proprietary brand-architecture methodology to diagnose identity gaps and resolve growth ceilings. Named one of the top business coaches in Dubai (2023).
Creative Director & Co-Founder at Pollen Advertising
January 1, 2011 - January 1, 2016
Co-founded and built a full-service advertising agency, setting creative standards, building the team, and leading pitches that secured and retained major regional and international accounts. Oversaw all creative output across ATL, BTL, digital, and brand identity projects.
Senior Art Director at Ogilvy & Mather
January 1, 2009 - January 1, 2011
Led creative development for Volvo, GSK/Panadol, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Chili's, Tang, and Arab Bank. Developed full campaign concepts from strategy brief through production (TV, print, outdoor, digital) and contributed to successful new business pitches.
Art Director & Editor at H.H. Saudi Research & Marketing Group
January 1, 2005 - January 1, 2008
Art directed Arrajol and Arriyadi magazines, managing design, layout, and artwork finalization. Wrote editorials for the newspaper and Arrajol, combining creative and editorial skills.
Art Director at Ogilvy & Mather
January 1, 2004 - January 1, 2005
Managed a team of five creatives and designers, maintaining high creative output across client accounts. Created concepts that were published in Ogilvy's internal book of best ideas and helped win three new business pitches.
Studio Manager / Art Director at Leo Burnett
January 1, 2001 - January 1, 2004
Developed ATL and BTL campaigns for STC, P&G (Head & Shoulders, Tide), and Saudi-French Bank. Won two creative awards, supervised seven team members, and directed photo shoots and film productions end to end.
Senior Graphic Designer at Ads & Graphics
January 1, 1999 - January 1, 2001
Led a team of five graphic designers, delivering final artworks and managing supplier relations. Ensured quality across client work.

Education

MA, Media Studies & Communication Design at The London College, Kensington University | London, UK
January 1, 2006 - January 1, 2008
Diploma in Visual Communication at London Academy of Radio, Film & TV | London, UK
January 1, 2005 - January 1, 2005
Higher Diploma in Science at Damascus University | Damascus, Syria
January 1, 1995 - January 1, 1999

Qualifications

Certified Coach, NLP Coach, Hypnotherapist
January 11, 2030 - April 21, 2026

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Professional Services, Travel & Hospitality, Retail, Other

Skills

Experience Level