Joy Films is celebrating the return of its co-founder Desley Gregory, 15 years after she left to pursue independent projects. As one of the original architects of the company, Gregory brings not only heritage and historical perspective but also an unmatched track record in the commercial production industry. Her career spans 35 years across the UK and international markets, working with top-tier brands, agencies and creative talent.
The dynamic duo of executive producer Gregory and Oscar-nominated director Mehdi Norowzian founded Joy Films in London in 1994, and the company soon became a global success known for its iconic award-winning commercials on behalf of clients around the world.
Today, Joy Films has offices in London, Vancouver, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The company offers full production services as well as creative concept development and has a dedicated AI unit created to meet the specific and diverse needs of its burgeoning international client base.
New era
“I am honoured and thrilled to return to a company I helped build from the ground up,” says Gregory. “I’m excited to help Joy Films lead a bold new era — one that honours our legacy while pushing and embracing new creative milestones.”
For Norowzian, the move represents a story of time, people and places. “We are thrilled to welcome Desley back,” he says. “Her vision and experience are exactly what Joy Films needs as we write our next chapter. This marks a homecoming not just for her, but for the values and ambitions the company was founded on.
“We wanted to reposition Joy by its global credentials, no matter where head offices may be. When we moved the headquarters from London to Dubai, the dynamic pace of change in Dubai was transformative for our mindset. We adapted quickly and have been able to mobilise, to meet the impossible deadlines and expectations, and to rise to any challenge.”
“We can adapt much more quickly and effectively than our counterparts in other regions,” says managing partner Ali Azarmi, who joined Joy in 2008.
“Desley joining us as global CEO is a leap towards our global ambitions. Her presence also aligns perfectly with our production services, which aim to attract businesses to the region. We are rekindling the Joy Films of old with the Joy Films of today.
“Budgets, timelines, agency-client relationships, a procurement-led process with bigger clients, AI, branded content, the ever-changing media landscape — these are just some of the changes since the company formed and we are continually learning to adapt to the changes,” continues Azarmi.
“Desley has seen all the changes our industry has gone through. Her role as CEO is to help us formulate strategies and navigate our expansion as a global production company, and into new areas of expertise and regions.”
With more than 35 years of experience in commercial production and a deep-rooted history with the company since its inception, Desley cherishes the opportunity to guide the next phase of Joy’s evolution, fostering new creative expansion, international collaborations, partnerships and ventures.
Contact: Ali Azarmi, managing partner
Find out more: joyfilmsme.com
