Riyadh, KSA · Dubai, UAE
May
Baroudi
Award-winning leader in film, TV, and digital media. Regional Media Consultant & Head of Video Production & Creative Visuals—Building teams, brands, and stories across the region. Expertise in AI integration and hybrid projects, creatively adapting workflows to the sector’s constant change.
Head of Production
Profile
Defining the standard of production in the MENA region through excellence in storytelling and execution.
Head of Production and Executive Producer with 20+ years across Saudi Arabia and the UAE — spanning film, television, documentary, branded content, digital media and AI-led production.
Senior leadership roles with VICE Media Group KSA, CNN Business Arabic, Snap Inc., Motivate Media Group and Gen Plus / NaF+ Brandfilms — alongside an independent consultancy establishing and structuring production companies since 2016.
She has served as a consecutive jury member since 2024 for the US International Awards in Los Angeles, and as a jury member for the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards.
Recognition
On the jury at Cannes Corporate and the US International Awards
- 2025 & 2026Jury Member
Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards
Serving on the international jury for two consecutive editions — judging corporate film, documentary and branded content from across the world as Head of Production, Naf+ KSA.
cannescorporate.com →
May Baroudi · US International Awards · JuryUS International Awards, Los Angeles
Judging the world's longest-running corporate film competition alongside an international panel.
View jury profile →Portfolio
The reel
A selection of films, series and branded work. Tap a frame to play.
Full portfolio on Vimeo →From the feed
@mayb_showreelWork experience
Selected roles
Tap a role to expand the details.
- Establish and structure production companies end to end — from operating model and org design to team, delivery infrastructure and client-facing capability.
- Design production workflows, resourcing models, budgeting frameworks and reporting systems for new and scaling production businesses.
- Deliver docuseries, documentary, branded content and commercial films — owning budgeting, crewing, scheduling, production and delivery.
- Launch content platforms, defining creative and editorial direction, production capability, quality standards and go-to-market delivery.
- Advise founders and senior leadership on production strategy, cost control, staffing, partner selection and vendor management across KSA and the UAE.
- Lead end-to-end production across AI-led content and brand films, with full accountability for schedules, budgets, quality and delivery.
- Partner with creative teams on concepts, storyboards and scripts, aligning creative ambition with production feasibility.
- Recruit, lead and develop producers, coordinators, directors, DOPs and specialist production talent.
- Refine production workflows, resourcing and reporting to improve efficiency, quality control and financial performance.
- Led VICE Media Group's Saudi production function, supervising a multidisciplinary department of 60+ team members.
- Directed production strategy, operations, resourcing and delivery across KSA and the Thaa platform, balancing creative quality against cost.
- Built, trained and mentored teams while strengthening production processes and cross-functional collaboration.
- Partnered with senior stakeholders, talent and external partners on high-impact productions and strategic collaborations.
- Instrumental in the launch of CNN Business Arabic, establishing the platform's creative and visual production function.
- Defined creative direction and visual standards across video, digital and motion graphics output.
- Authored the Visual Brand Guideline, establishing a consistent brand image across all visual mediums.
- Built and trained the visual and video production team from launch stage.
- Supported MENA production, post-production and operations for Snap Originals and creator-led content.
- Led territory introductions, talent outreach and onboarding, identifying partners aligned with Snap content goals.
- Reviewed partner budgets, schedules and creative approaches, providing production and creative direction.
- Managed production calendars, deliverables and trackers across regional initiatives.
- Executive produced YouTube and broadcast content and managed digital video projects focused on Gen Z creators, mentorship and new-media quality.
- Led delivery of digital and video projects for the Motivate EXPO 2020 partnership — internal teams, freelancers, clients, schedules and quality.
- Produced and directed television, film and digital projects while advising commercial teams on scope, scheduling and pricing.
- Managed post-production, animation, studio resources and multiple client relationships.
- Led project management, executive production, budgeting, staffing, client pitching and creative supervision from concept through post-production.
- Produced, directed and line-produced broadcast, branded and digital projects; managed proposals, budgets, client servicing and post-production across 2D/3D animation.
- DTCM communication content management; NHK TV documentary production; World Future Energy Summit coverage.
- MBC1 story production and ADTV producer/director work; post-production across Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
- Promo traffic and planning, content production, budgeting, shoot supervision, on-air scheduling and quality control.
- Original programming across news, entertainment and current affairs.
- Documentaries, TVCs and corporate films for regional broadcasters and organisations including MBC1, Dubai Cares and MBR Foundation.
Craft
What she brings to set
Production Leadership
Production company set-up and structuring · Departmental build-out · Workflows and process design · Resourcing · Reporting · Quality control.
Executive Producing
Docuseries and documentary · Film and broadcast · Branded content and brand films · Digital and social content · Creative supervision.
Commercial
Budgeting and cost control · Scheduling · Pricing and scope advisory · Vendor and partner management · Client and stakeholder relations.
Emerging Formats
AI-led production workflows · Creator and platform content · Visual and creative strategy · Post-production and 2D/3D animation.