Akram Ogaily is a professional urban planner and architect with more than decades of experience in urban planning, architectural, design and management of complex and mega states and developers projects throughout the Middle East. Mr. Ogaily received his B.Arch. degree from University of Baghdad in1967 and MSc. Arch. CEM from Bartlett School of Architecture – UCL in 1994. In 1970, he founded Archicenter-Iraq, subsequently expanding operations to Kuwait (1973), London (1982) and to Beirut (1994). The firm focused on incorporating project management to drive project success. Archicenter-Iraq was awarded important states projects through design competitions, including the Amiri Diwan Crown Prince & Prime Ministers Offices in Kuwait (1982). Other well known projects include the Iraqi Embassy building in Kuwait, the Presidential Guest Palaces in Basra and Mosul (1984) , the Mosque and Culture Centre in Beirut (1995), and the Public Works and Shaikh Zayed Social Affairs buildings in Abu Dhabi ( 2001).
In February 2003 Mr. Ogaily Joined Hill International a company specializing in program and project management for major construction projects worldwide, as Senior Vice President and Director of the Technical Core Team (TCT). In that capacity he was involved in inception studies: planning, design and implementation procedures; and the provision of technical support and quality control and audits to major projects across Middle East, North Africa, Europe, the Balkans and the Asia Pacific region. Though partially retired in order to pursue other interests, he remains and Executive Consultant to the firm.
Mr. Ogaily continues to share his expertise at numerous regional and international conferences, addressing topics such as IT Development Impact in the Construction Market, Baghdad Old Urban Fabric Conservation Plans, Development Processes and Building Management Challenges, Affordable Housing and Illegal Settlement in Baghdad City, Rebuilding Plans and Challenges in Iraq, Baghdad City Identity , and the Urban Fabric and Human Scale of Dubai. Early in 2017 he was selected as a chairman of the non-governmental "Makiya Foundation for Baghdad Development." In that capacity he lectures, plans, and facilitates workshops focusing on project developments awareness, knowhow in project conservation and urban planning, design deliverables, and management based on an understanding of process theories, local culture and the conditions of the urban environment.