A leading conference at the heart of Light + Intelligent Building Middle East, THINKLIGHT brings together industry professionals to explore the transformative power of lighting design and technology.
THINKLIGHT 2026, themed "Vision to Impact – From Inspiring Ideas to Lasting Legacies" will spotlight iconic lighting projects and the experts behind them. Moving beyond theory, the conference will showcase real-world case studies from across the Middle East and beyond, highlighting the power of light in shaping spaces and experiences.
Attendees will learn through three session formats: Design Deep Dives into landmark projects, concise Project Perspectives across sectors, and Conversations in Light—intimate interviews with leading designers. This immersive program connects inspiration with application, offering professionals valuable insights into how lighting design creates meaningful, cultural, and environmental impact.
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The Design Deep Dive is a 45-minute keynote session led by a renowned lighting designer, offering an in-depth exploration of one iconic project from concept to completion. Through detailed visuals, behind-the-scenes stories, and technical insights, the speaker will reveal the creative process, design decisions, and challenges that shaped the final result. This is an opportunity to learn how vision, collaboration, and expertise come together in professional lighting practice. The session concludes with a Q&A, inviting the audience to engage directly and explore the ideas further.
The Project Perspectives sessions are a series of focused 15-minute sessions, each offering a clear and concise insight into a specific lighting design project within a defined sector. Covering Heritage and Culture, Commercial and Workplace, Public Realm and Urban Spaces, Transport, Hospitality and Leisure, and Retail, each talk will highlight the project’s goals, lighting strategy, and the challenges overcome to deliver impact through design. From restoring the atmosphere of historic landmarks to shaping the experience of retail flagships or transit hubs, these sessions will demonstrate how lighting meets the specific needs of diverse environments. Each presentation is followed by a short Q&A, giving the audience a chance to ask practical and sector-specific questions.
Conversations in Light is a 30-minute live interview session that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the thinking and experience of a leading lighting professional. In this relaxed yet focused format, the interviewer will guide the conversation through the interviewee’s body of work, design philosophy, and key project moments — uncovering insights that don’t always make it into formal presentations. With space for reflection, storytelling, and honest discussion, this session invites audiences to engage with lighting practice in a more personal and direct way, offering practical lessons and inspiration from real experience.
2026 Speaker
Ahmed Bayashout
Founder & Design Director | Studio A
Alexia Gkika
Senior Associate Project Manager | Coen + Partners
Amy Rennie
Discipline Leader – UK Lighting | Buro Happold
Andrenna D'souza
Founder & Director | Studio Aurora
Andrew Bates
Associate Director – Lighting | Red Sea Global
Axel Margos
Lighting Designer | WSP
Carla Jardim
Associate | The Flaming Beacon
Catalina Casas-Cordero
Lighting Manager | Red Sea Global
Dane Sanders
President | Clanton Associates
Daniel Hodierne
Design Director | Light Bureau
David McNeil
Partner | dpa Lighting Consultants
Faraz Izhar
Lead Lighting Designer | AE7
Giovanni Zambri
Project Design Director | SMITH TAIT
Kush Suneja
Design Manager & Founder | Spatial Vibes Lighting Consultants
Kaori Hiroki
Senior Associate | Loop Lighting
Kristina Allison
President, SLL & Environmental Lighting Lead | WSP UK
Lama Arouri
Managing Director | Studio N
Martin Lupton
Co-Founder | Light Collective UK
Michael Grubb
Founder | Michael Grubb Studio
Nivedita Sehrawat
Partner | Design Matrix
Nonita Sabin
Associate Director | Neolight Global
Paul Nulty
Founder | Nulty
Regina Santos
Founder & Design Director | Light Fusion Specialist Lighting
Robin Ganser
Partner | Coen + Partners
Sharon Stammers
Co-Founder | Light Collective UK
Sakina Dugawalla – Moeller
Founder | Light Func
Siddharth Mathur
Partner | Studio Lumen
Tom Niven
Director of Lighting | BDP
Will Whiter
Dubai Studio Director | Kettle Collective
Yah Li TOH
Principal | Light Collab
Ziad Fattouh
Managing Director | Delta Lighting Design