Akram El Youssi
Strategic Finance & Scaling Expert | PE/VC Advisor & Venture
Asia/Dubai (UTC+4)
English, French, Arabic
Akram El Youssi
Strategic Finance & Scaling Expert | PE/VC Advisor & Venture
Asia/Dubai (UTC+4)
English, French, Arabic
About
Seasoned finance and investment professional with +20 years of experience across corporate finance, investment banking, and private equity, combined with hands-on operational leadership. As a 2X founder, I’ve built ventures, led teams, developed SaaS solutions, and streamlined processes through digitalization and automation. My core expertise spans strategic finance, investments, digital transformation, and scaling operational infrastructure for high-growth ventures.
Key Skills
Experience
Managing Partner | Upside Ventures
Apr 2025 - Present
United Arab Emirates Managing a portfolio of ventures in Technology, AI, Future of Finance and Consulting.
Founder & CEO | InstaVal
Jan 2019 - Present
InstaVal is pivoting into an AI-driven Investor Relations Management platform to streamline communication, reporting, and KPI tracking. We help founders and investors build stronger relationships. Because it’s people first, then numbers.
COO | uqudo
Feb 2022 - Dec 2022
Dubai, United Arab Emirates In charge of co-steering the company and building the full fledged venture scalability infrastructure to grow the business in Middle East & Africa.
Chief Executive Officer | Upside Capital
Jan 2010 - Jan 2019
Casablanca & Dubai Independent, Africa to Middle-East focused, best-in-class corporate finance advisory firm, offering bulge-bracket expertise to mid-market regional private sector corporations as well as to private investors.
Founder | Premony
Jan 2016 - Jan 2017
Dubai, United Arab Emirates DIY Investment banking deliverables Platform : Business Plan. Valuation Report. Information Memorandum. Investor Report. Shelved => Too big. Too early.
Founder | Finworks
Jan 2015 - Jan 2017
Dubai, United Arab Emirates Investment deliverables production software for Advisors, Investors, Financial Institutions & Corporates. Made first for Upside Capital. Then realized the market potential. Pitched to couple of large banks in MENA. Stealth mode.
Investment Director | CDG Capital
Jan 2008 - Jan 2010
Casablanca Prefecture, Morocco Private Equity Mezzanine Fund Management
Structured Finance Associate | BMCE Capital
Jan 2005 - Jan 2008
Dakar, Senegal Project & Structured Finance Transaction Advisory. Sub Saharan Africa.
Equity Analyst | Upline Group
Jan 2004 - Jan 2005
Casablanca Prefecture, Morocco Listed Equity Research & Analysis
Supply Chain Supervisor | Procter & Gamble
Jan 2001 - Jan 2002
Casablanca Prefecture, Morocco FMCG | Former Gillette
Forex Trader | INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, LLC
Jan 1999 - Jan 2000
New York, New York Major Currency Forex Trading. 40, Wall Street.
Education & Certificates
Practitioner, Neuro-Linguistic Programming
Lead Coach Institute
Jan 2010
CFA, Finance, General
CFA Institute
Jan 2009
MBA, International Management
École des Ponts Business School
Jan 2005
Bachelor of Business Administration
Al Akhawayn University
Jun 1999
Schedule a Session
Executive Coaching
60 min
$600 for 6 sessions
Focused, one-on-one coaching to strengthen executive skills and drive strategic growth.
Leadership Coaching
60 min
$900 for 10 sessions
Development of core leadership abilities for success in management and team roles.
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