Sami Akkawi

Overview

Sami Akkawi is Co-Founder & CEO at Petra Labs as of July 2025[1][2]. Prior to founding Petra Labs, Akkawi worked as an Engagement Manager in Deals Strategy at Strategy& from January 2021 to July 2025[3]. Akkawi's earlier experience includes a position in Investment Management at Morgan Stanley from January to August 2018[4]. Akkawi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Cognitive Science from Northwestern University[5] and completed secondary education at King's Academy[6].

Career history

1. Co-Founder & CEOJul 2025 to presentPetra Labs
2. Engagement Manager, Deals StrategyJan 2021 to Jul 2025Strategy&
3. Investment ManagementJan 2018 to Aug 2018Morgan Stanley

Education

1. Bachelor of Arts, Economics & Cognitive ScienceNorthwestern University
2. HSHigh School Diploma at King's Academy

Media & appearances

• and then I did thisApple Podcasts2026-02-17
  Private Equity Consultant to Co-Founder: Making Brands AI VisibleSami Akkawi shares his unconventional journey from consulting for private equity firms to co-founding Petra Labs, an AI-powered brand visibility marketing startup. After conducting nearly 1,000 interviews with senior marketing professionals at companies
• Contrary to Popular OpinionApple Podcasts2026-02-03
  Inside the Seismic Shift from SEO to Answer Engine OptimizationTodd and Kelly sit down with Sami Akkawi, founder of Petra Labs, to explore the seismic shift from traditional SEO to Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). Sami, who made the leap from Morgan Stanley investment banking to AI-driven marketing, reveals why br
• YouTube
  Private Equity Consultant to Co-Founder: Making Brands AI ...Sami Akkawi discusses his five-year career at PWC advising private equity firms on acquisitions and growth strategies in marketing tech, where he worked on over 40 successful acquisitions and interviewed nearly 1,000 senior marketing professionals. He explains how insights from those interviews led him to co-found Petra Labs, a company that helps brands grow organically by improving how AI tools like ChatGPT perceive them.
• iVoox
  Inside the Seismic Shift from SEO to Answer Engine ... - iVooxListen to this episode of Contrary to Popular Opinion for free on iVoox. Todd and Kelly sit down with Sami Akkawi, founder of Petra Labs, to explore the seismic shift from traditional SEO to Answer Engine Optimization...
• YouTube
  1,000 Interviews Revealed the AI Brand Visibility Gap Nobody ...Sami Akkawi discusses his background in private equity consulting at PWC, where he worked on over 40 acquisitions and interviewed close to 1,000 senior marketing professionals. He explains how those interviews revealed gaps in what marketing budget holders at companies like Nike and Pepsi needed, which inspired him to co-found Petra Labs to help brands grow organically by controlling how AI tools like ChatGPT perceive them.