Mohammad Safi | MSc | Creative Director & Marketing Strategist
Integrated Campaigns · AI Creative · Global Brand Leadership
Biography
Creative Director & Marketing Strategist. 16 years of global brand leadership. Native Arabic speaker with deep Middle East roots and London agency discipline. MSc Marketing (Distinction, 2025). AI-fluent in practice, not just in theory. Available for CD and Head of Brand roles across the Middle East and UK.
Services
Creative Direction · AI-Powered Campaigns · Integrated Marketing
Years of
Experience
16+
Clients
Satisfaction
100 %
Brands
Served
+60
Projects
Delivered
+320
"I believe in creating impactful, AI-powered brand experiences that drive measurable business growth and foster long-term client relationships."
My Journey
Creative Director & Marketing Strategist with 16 years of global brand leadership and genuine Middle East cultural fluency. Native Arabic speaker. MSc Marketing & Brand Management (Distinction, Kingston University, 2025). I bring London agency discipline and deep regional roots to every brief — directing integrated campaigns, AI-powered creative production, and high-performing teams for brands including adidas, Vodafone, McDonald's, and Diriyah Gate Development Authority. Known for being an early, fluent adopter of AI across the creative and marketing workflow — compressing concept timelines, scaling output, and improving campaign performance without inflating headcount. Open to permanent and contract Creative Director and Head of Brand roles across the Middle East and UK, where creative vision, strategic depth, and cultural intelligence converge to build brands that last.
Top Skills
Brand Strategy & Positioning · Creative Direction & Art Direction · Integrated Marketing Campaigns · Go-to-Market Strategy · Omnichannel Campaign Management · AI-Powered Creative Production · Content Strategy & Brand Narrative · Marketing Automation & MarTech · Team Leadership & Talent Development · Data-Driven Decision Making · Stakeholder & Client Management · Budget & Resource Management
Marketing Experience
Holder of an MSc in Marketing & Brand Management (Distinction, Kingston University, 2025) and CIM-qualified in Digital Marketing, I have led integrated marketing campaigns, go-to-market strategies, and omnichannel programmes across EMEA and the Middle East. I leverage platforms including HubSpot, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, GA4, and Power BI to drive engagement, optimise campaign performance, and deliver measurable ROI — combining data-driven insight with creative storytelling.
Design Experience
With 16+ years of creative leadership across global organisations, I have directed brand identity, campaign creative, and digital experiences for 60+ clients including adidas, Barclays, Boots, Arcadia Group, and Sainsbury's. My approach combines strategic art direction with AI-powered production tools — including Midjourney and Adobe Firefly — to deliver visually compelling work that is faster to produce, easier to scale, and directly tied to business outcomes.
Clients Management
I have led senior client relationships at C-suite and board level across global brands including The White Company, Vodafone, Estée Lauder, Starbucks, easyJet, Arsenal FC, and Barclays. My approach centres on translating complex business objectives into clear creative and marketing strategies — building long-term partnerships built on trust, consistent delivery, and results that exceed expectations. I have directly contributed to new business wins through strategic pitching and concept development.
Building & Managing Creative Teams
I have built and led high-performing creative and marketing teams of up to 23 designers and developers across agency and in-house environments. By introducing AI-assisted workflows, structured briefing processes, and clear governance frameworks, I have consistently improved team output capacity — achieving a 20% increase in productivity without additional headcount. I invest heavily in mentorship and talent development, creating teams that are collaborative, accountable, and capable of delivering at the highest creative standard.
PHOTOSHOP
INDESIGN
ILLUSTRATOR
DREAMWEAVER
AFTER EFFECT
PREMIER
POWER BI
Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project
ANIMATE
LIGHTROOM
MAYA 3D
ZBRUSH
Tools & Technology
99%
99%
99%
90%
80%
85%
80%
80%
80%
70%
95%
25%
65%
Education & Experience
Senior Designer & 2D Animator
Jan 2008 - Sep 2011
Creative Team Leader
Oct 2011 - Dec 2014
Senior Digital Designer - Contract
Dec 2014 - Feb 2015
Creative Team Lead
Feb 2015 - May 2016
Head of Creative Services
May 2016 - June 2017
Head of Creative Services
June 2017 - May 2018
Marketing Projects Services Manager — Marketing & Creative
Oct 2025 - March 2026
Creative Director — Marketing & Creative
Nov 2023 - Oct 2025
Brand Strategy & Creative Director— EMEA
May 2018 - Oct 2023
Kingston University
Master's Degree | Marketing & Brand Management - Distinction
Jan 2024 - Jan 2025
The Chartered Institute Of Marketing
Digital Marketing Techniques - Distinction
Jan 2024 - Aug 2024
Case Studies - Work that worked
60 assets. 3 markets. One system. 48 hours.
Adidas doesn't have a creativity problem. They have a scale problem. For their US Holiday season campaign....
Directing AI from blank prompt to brand-ready creative
Wilko has millions of loyal customers and one of the UK's most recognised retail brands in its category. But their email ...
When good enough isn't good enough
Boots is one of the UK's most trusted and recognisable retail brands — a presence on almost every high street, with a loyalty...
Let's Work Together
Have I caught your interest? If so, let’s grab a coffee—or a virtual one—and explore how we can create something great together. I’d love to chat and see if we’re the perfect fit!
