Hello
Anthony Younes is a Beirut-born Canadian entrepreneur and music visionary, best known as the founder and driving force behind the Dubai Jazz Festival and other iconic events in the UAE and the Middle East. As the CEO of Chillout Productions, he transformed the region’s live music landscape, bringing global stars to Middle Eastern audiences and winning multiple awards through relentless dedication and innovation.
About Me.
The story of Anthony Younes and Chillout Productions begins in 2002 with the founding of Chillout Productions, a company dedicated to creating world-class events. Anthony Younes, the CEO, dreamed of launching a unique multi-day music festival in Dubai, focusing initially on jazz, which was his favorite genre. This vision materialized in 2003 with the first Dubai Jazz Festival held at the Dubai Media City Grounds. The event was groundbreaking because it combined various jazz genres across multiple days, attracting both local and international audiences and performers.
The Full Story.
The Beginning
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The early days were challenging as there was no proven track record for such an event in the region. It was only after the first night of the inaugural edition that a major corporate sponsors, Philips, Skywards, Cadillac, Visa, MeBank and Phillip Morris committed to multi-year deals, which helped grow the festival. ​
Over time, the Dubai Jazz Festival expanded beyond jazz into a more diverse array of music including pop, rock, blues, and soul, featuring international stars such as Santana, Sting, Deep Purple, John Legend, Maria Carey, Sir Tom Jones, Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Toto, James Blunt, Train, David Gray, Macy Gray and One Republic just to name a few.
This programming diversity helped attract broader crowds and deepen the festival's appeal.​​
The Awards
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Under Anthony Younes's leadership, Chillout Productions not only delivered a series of successful music festivals but also won numerous awards recognizing its quality and innovation. These include multiple Best Music Festival awards from Time Out Dubai Nightlife Awards and Middle East Event Awards throughout the 2000s and late 2010s.
The festival grew from a niche jazz event to a major international music experience, drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees from the UAE, GCC countries, and worldwide over the years.​​
The Ups And Downs
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The journey was filled with ups and downs, including challenges with market instability, artist fee negotiations, and the difficulty of bringing top international artists to the region. However, the festival’s solid corporate partnerships and a loyal fan base sustained it through these hurdles.
Anthony recalls highlights such as the sold-out 2015 program, which brought Chris Botti and Sting to the stage alongside Santana, John Legend, Toto, and David Gray, as proof of the festival’s power to surpass expectations and craft truly remarkable live music experiences.
The Partnership
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Over the years, the festival has embraced innovation, introducing creative activities and interactive digital platforms such as social media and the Anghami Sessions, which showcase rising regional talent alongside world-renowned artists. This evolution has been made possible with the invaluable support of Dubai Tourism, the city of Dubai, Dubai Media City, and Dubai Festival City—partnerships that have cemented the festival’s place as a premier cultural event in the region.
Further strategic collaborations, including with Emirates Airlines, elevated its global profile under the prestigious Emirates Dubai Jazz Festival brand.
About Chillout Productions (The Agency)
Founded and led by Anthony Younes, is renowned as the region’s top independent music and events company.
The agency produced:
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Dubai Jazz Festival
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Abu Dhabi Jazz Festival
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The Jazz Garden Series
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The Classic Rock Experience Series

Beyond the festivals and series, Chillout Productions created unforgettable moments with special concerts that captivated fans both locally and internationally—most memorably the landmark, sold-out Queen Feat. Paul Rodgers concert in 2008.