Jamil Abu-Wardeh

Webit Speaker, Writer, producer, director and TED.com speaker who creates engaging original content

Jamil Abu-Wardeh is a writer, producer, director and TED.com speaker who creates engaging original content. Through the art of visualising a well written story or script Jamil's work appears across many media including TV, web and stage.

His company (JAW Media) recently produced a TV show dedicated to women's issues and empowerment. He served as Executive Producer of the show named "Amira", after its presenter, and it aired on Al Aan TV based in Dubai.

He is known as the “Godfather of Middle East Stand Up” because he created and produced the Axis of Evil Middle East Comedy Tour in 2007/8 as a step to kickstarting comedy writing and performance in the region. This reality tour and TV show provided the impetus for budding standup comedians across the Arab world to do it in Arabic and the now thriving standup comedy revolution in the Middle East is enjoying a reneiassance given the recent upheavels, mostly online and away from government control.
 
As with many TV personalities he has mentored and artists he has 'created and curated', his work continues to empower others to find a platform to express themselves and to shine.
Here are some of the projects he recently completed as a maker and manager of original concepts and content for clients and audiences across the Middle-East and Internationally:

2012     Producer/ Director for the Video Content of the “Zayed Future Energy Prize” $4million awards. He interviewed CEO’s from Kenya to the Himalays running renewable energy companies.

2011    Through his company JAW Media, he executive produced the first Arab TV show aimed at empowering women in the region (for Alaan.TV). This weekly Live “Oprah” like show had a studio audience as well as social media and philanthropic dimension.

2011    TEDxRamallah Host and co-organiser for the event which aims to educate and inspire by providing a space for people to share their ideas in any field, whether science, education, literature, technology, design, etc. to contribute to the positive perception of Palestine.

2010    TEDGlobal  speaker on the importance of enhancing the image of Middle Easterners in the world by changing the narrative

2010     Wrote and produced over 25 short TV comic sketches for the South Korean Tourism board starring his protégé Wonho Chung.

2010    TV Creative Director for the Abu-Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation Music Festival starring some of the world's great artists, musicians and performers, including  jazz genius Wynton Marsalis and the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Colin Davis, among 15 other high-class performances.

2009     Executive producer of a 30-minuteTV special for the Amman Stand-Up Comedy Festival with headliners Russell Peters and Maz Jobrani among other well-known comedians.