Tarek Akil Takes the Helm as CEO at IMPACT BBDO Cairo

IMPACT BBDO has appointed Tarek Akil as Chief Executive Officer of IMPACT BBDO Cairo, marking his return to the agency after an 18-month stint at Leo Burnett Saudi Arabia. Akil’s appointment marks a return to an agency where he spent seven years between 2018 and 2025, contributing to its commercial development, creative growth and new-business momentum. Return to IMPACT BBDO Before returning to IMPACT BBDO, Akil served as Business Lead at Leo Burnett Saudi Arabia, gaining further experience in the rapidly evolving Saudi advertising market. His broader career has included roles at VML, Ogilvy and Egyptian independent agency Bubblegum, giving him experience across both international agency networks and independent businesses. Building on Recent Success During his previous tenure at IMPACT BBDO, the Cairo office achieved several notable industry milestones. The agency was named 2025 Agency of the Year by Campaign Middle East, while its work also earned a Silver Lion…

IMPACT BBDO has appointed Tarek Akil as Chief Executive Officer of IMPACT BBDO Cairo, marking his return to the agency after an 18-month stint at Leo Burnett Saudi Arabia.

Akil’s appointment marks a return to an agency where he spent seven years between 2018 and 2025, contributing to its commercial development, creative growth and new-business momentum.

Return to IMPACT BBDO

Before returning to IMPACT BBDO, Akil served as Business Lead at Leo Burnett Saudi Arabia, gaining further experience in the rapidly evolving Saudi advertising market.

His broader career has included roles at VML, Ogilvy and Egyptian independent agency Bubblegum, giving him experience across both international agency networks and independent businesses.

Building on Recent Success

During his previous tenure at IMPACT BBDO, the Cairo office achieved several notable industry milestones. The agency was named 2025 Agency of the Year by Campaign Middle East, while its work also earned a Silver Lion in the Film category at Cannes Lions.

The Cannes recognition marked Egypt’s return to the festival’s winners’ list after a 12-year gap.

Akil returns with a mandate to build on this momentum and guide the Cairo operation through its next phase of growth. His leadership approach centres on bringing teams together around a shared ambition while keeping creative excellence at the heart of the business.

Creativity at the Core

Known for combining strategic thinking with a strong focus on the creative process, Akil believes that “the creative process is what matters most.”

His approach focuses on establishing clear strategic frameworks that enable creative teams to develop stronger work while ensuring campaigns remain aligned with clients’ commercial objectives.

Throughout his career, Akil has worked to connect creative ambition with business performance, viewing commercial success and creative excellence as complementary rather than competing priorities.

His return to IMPACT BBDO Cairo is expected to build on the agency’s recent achievements while strengthening its creative reputation, client partnerships and regional presence.