Leaders

Over the past 15 years I’ve had the opportunity to undertake the lighting design of a diverse range of projects, from large scale educational developments as the New York University Abu Dhabi and other schools, high-profile civic spaces like the Federal National Council Assembly Hall refurbishment, iconic projects as the DEWA Solar Innovation Center, and high-end hospitality projects as the Warner Bros Hotel in Abu Dhabi, amongst others.

I have also worked extensively in cultural and artistic spaces, regularly collaborating with art galleries, handling lighting setups and exhibition-specific light scenes. From hospitality, commercial, industrial, residential to private developments, all projects reflect the precision and standards typically reserved for high-end design.

Regardless of the project types, from landscape and façades to interiors, the commitment to detail remains constant.

What inspired you to establish Light Fusion? Tell us about the underlying vision behind the venture.

Light Fusion is a lighting design studio founded in December 2020, driven by the commitment to an in-depth creative process, quality, and focus to engage and deliver bespoke lighting design. We curate lighting atmospheres, specifying products that meet the highest standards in optical performance, efficiency, sustainability, and aesthetics.

The concept behind Light Fusion emerged from observing the region’s multicultural design community. In a region with consultants from diverse cultural backgrounds bringing different perspectives to the table, and local traditions always at the core, the name represents a harmonious blend of global creativity and regional identity.

What key responsibilities do you shoulder as the founder of Light Fusion? How do you drive growth for the company?

As a designer, I thrive on creativity, but leading a small firm means mastering the business side too. Company licensing, HR, finance, fee proposals, design concept and coordination, and team support, all fall within the scope. I believe that you grow by balancing creativity with operational discipline, without ever compromising the quality each project deserves. From client meetings and site visits to admin tasks and growing the team, I am involved in every layer.

Our design team is central to everything we do. I work closely with them creating a space for personal growth, through regular workshops focused on design coordination, software advancements and the learning of new design tools. Continuous learning is not optional, rather it is a way to future-proof the studio. As project evolve, my team’s ability to deliver is what drives the company forward.

Highlight the major business challenges you encounter in your current role. How do you navigate through these roadblocks?

Understanding your role and deliverables is key, but collaboration across teams, site and clients is what truly delivers a project’s success. I view every experience along the way as a valuable part of the journey, as all outcomes are a positive experience and part of our learning curve. The more you face varied challenges, the better you become at handling them. But the toughest roadblock has not been operational, but personal burnout. It creeps in despite passion and commitment, reminding me that personal wellbeing is essential to sustaining a business.

Bridging the gap between client understanding, team coordination, and site execution is vital, whilst its success also depends on the synergy of the design team.

Looking back, what has been your guiding leadership philosophy and ‘success mantra’?

Leadership for me is grounded in active listening and empathetic understanding with clients and design teams. Clear, consistent communication and coordination is essential to fostering better understanding and allowing us to translate vision to reality. The final outcome can be elevated through thoughtful design intent, coordination, and a collaborative project flow.

My mantra is to lead with positivity and kindness. Challenges can be handled best with a calm, solution-focused mindset.

How do you foresee India’s lighting design landscape evolving going forward? Which industry trends are you betting big on?

I foresee more manufacturers setting up in India to reduce carbon footprints, boosting regional access to quality products. This supports sustainability, generates jobs, and strengths the local economy.

India is witnessing a rise in high-quality, thoughtfully executed lighting projects, and a growing appreciation for quality lighting. Better lighting applications allow people to develop a sharper eye for lighting atmospheres that focus on excellence, fuelling demand for refined professional lighting in both public and private spaces.

I’m betting on AI, sustainability, improvement of optics and the betterment of lighting controls as industry trends.

We’re still learning to use and include AI as a day-to-day design tool, but soon smart technologies will surpass its current role, helping us integrate lighting design in projects, improving clash detection beyond BIM, allowing better coordination between disciplines and more sustainable design approaches, aiding in site execution and facilitating the documentation process. From design integration to lighting controls, smart technologies can soon help us achieve lighting outcomes in a whole new way.

Regina Santos, Founder & Design Director, Light Fusion

Drawing on deep regional experience, technical expertise, and a forward-thinking design philosophy, Regina Santos has built a career at the intersection of innovation and craft in architectural lighting. As Founder and Design Director of Light Fusion, she has led projects across the Middle East, bringing creativity and expertise to complex design challenges.