Regina Santos, Founder and Design Director, LIGHT FUSION
In the world of lighting, many illuminate, but there are some who choose to redefine the path. They are the visionaries on a mission to transform the way we visualize and experience design.
That’s the story of entrepreneur, Regina Santos, Founder and Design Director at LIGHT FUSION. To Regina, light has never been just a tool – it is a language. A way to translate emotion into space, precision into beauty, and vision into form.
Her 15-year journey in Dubai has been a masterclass in dedication, resilience, and creative integrity. With a strong academic foundation that spans a BA in Industrial Design, a BSc in Architecture and Urban Planning, and a specialized MSc in Architectural Lighting Design, Regina has always approached her craft with a distinctly integrated perspective.
It all began inside the walls of three renowned consultancy firms, where she learned to access every project through a multidisciplinary lens. Here, she learnt the mechanics of creating a lighting practice within complex corporate structures and engaged in diverse projects that demanded precision, commitment, and a steep learning curve. Furthermore, the firms entrusted her with building specialist lighting departments from the ground up, shaping her craftsmanship into an entrepreneurial edge.
LIGHT FUSION was born from her belief that design should break commercial limits. Instead of the conventional rush from checklist to delivery, Regina takes the time to explore the interplay of optics, fixtures, and space – crafting concepts rooted in both technical excellence and human experience. “A business is only as good as the satisfaction it can provide to clients who believe in the project and commit to its success,” she says.
Where Art Meets Engineering
At LIGHT FUSION, artistic expression and technical precision exist in perfect balance. Regina begins each project by asking what atmosphere the spaces truly need, then she shapes that vision with discipline and detail.
Her portfolio features moments where lighting became the defining soul of a space. At Miral Headquarters, a false window light box framed with greenery transformed a reception backdrop into a visual anchor, expanding depth and drawing the eye through curved glass meeting rooms. In a private villa at Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort, light revealed the hidden depth of a white sculptural mural, breathing life into its relief details. Her work on civic and cultural landmarks such as New York University Abu Dhabi, the Federal National Council Assembly Hall refurbishment, and the DEWA Solar Innovation Center further demonstrates her ability to pair large-scale functionality with design integrity. Beyond these, collaborations with art galleries allowed her to choreograph exhibition-specific scenes where light itself became storytelling, redefining the room’s ambience.
Other projects highlight her flair for immersive atmospheres: the indoor pool at Hilton DoubleTree Sharjah, where colour-changing panels mimic the progression of natural daylight; or the Warner Bros Hotel Abu Dhabi, where a ceiling feature recreates the iconic Looney Tunes title sequence, glowing in hues coordinated with the brand’s creative intent.
For Regina, the magic is in the scene setting – the careful dimming of ambient light, accenting, and layering that turn a design into an experience. “It’s often underestimated, but it’s what gives a project its emotional rhythm,” she notes.
Leading in a Competitive Landscape
As a woman at the helm of a niche design studio in a competitive space, where architecture and interior design intersect lighting, Regina has met challenges head-on, embracing each as an opportunity for growth. Yet, the strain of burnout, budget constraints, and the recurring pushback that the lighting design faces due to costs or contractor-led changes- undermine the very intent behind it. However, she treats each obstacle as part of the learning curve. From the functional precision of a street lighting plan to the grandeur of a royal development, Regina approaches every project with the same meticulous attention and creative passion.
For Regina, credibility cannot be claimed; it’s earned. It comes from mastering the technical details: understanding optical performance, selecting fixtures for quality as much as aesthetics, and navigating both international and local guidelines with fluency. This mastery of merging technical precision with aesthetic vision has earned her a name as a trusted leader in large-scale, high-profile projects.
Inside LIGHT FUSION, inclusivity is non-negotiable. Leadership extends beyond technical rigor. Regina’s powerful guiding mantra: “Lead with positivity and kindness,” encourages everyone to speak up, share ideas, and grow with empathy. This openness cultivates ownership, creativity, and collective pride among the employees. Beyond her studio, Regina carries the same spirit into the wider industry, engaging with peers, manufacturers, and fellow designers in candid, constructive dialogue; because for her, innovation thrives, where knowledge flows freely.
Designing with Cultural Sensitivity
Global reach demands cultural agility. Working across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, Regina knows that cultural nuance is not an embellishment; it’s the very DNA of a design.
For her, true integration is born from authentic collaboration between all disciplines —architecture, landscape, interiors, FF&E, and lighting; each informing the other in service of a shared vision. Her role is to ensure that light not only belongs in the built environment but also deepens its connection to place, amplifying the subtleties of cultural heritage.
This means reading the space in three dimensions, sensing how form, texture, and shadow converse, then weaving layers of illumination that highlight architecture, art, and landscape alike, creating spaces that are cohesive, sustainable, and culturally resonant.
Technology as a Creative Partner
Regina sees technology as a powerful ally to human artistry, but never a substitute for organic creativity. “AI doesn’t have a point of view — designers do,” she explains. “The creative mind is the maestro; technology is the instrument.”
Whether it’s AI, VR, or advanced lighting systems, she believes technology to be an extension of creative vision— used intentionally to amplify design, never to dictate it.
From immersive virtual simulations to hyper-realistic renderings, these tools make coordination easier and integration more seamless, yet never overshadow the designer’s integrity.
Her vision extends globally, with India’s evolving design landscape catching her keen attention. She sees a shift toward local manufacturing and sustainable sourcing, which reduces carbon footprints while boosting regional access to quality products.
What excites her most is the future where technology drives a rising demand for refined professional lighting. Alongside, she believes that this will enable richer interdisciplinary collaboration, create real-time atmospheres, and make lighting design feel as instinctive to the end-user as sunlight through an open window.
Giving Back to the Industry
Regina’s influence reaches far beyond the places she illuminates. As a member of the Society of Light and Lighting (MSLL) and the Illuminating Engineering Society (MIES), she contributes to advancing industry knowledge. Through speaking engagements, published articles, and mentorship, she shares generously — giving back to the global lighting design community, not as an obligation, but as an act of gratitude.
This commitment is deeply personal. “I’ve always benefitted from the generosity of seniors who shared their insights,” she reflects. “Sharing my own experience is the least I can do.” For her, every lecture delivered, every article written, and every mentorship conversation is not just about teaching; it’s an opportunity to push the boundaries of her creative imagination, explore new ideas, and stay attuned to the pulse of innovation.
Advice to the Next Generation
Regina’s counsel to the young designers and aspiring women entrepreneurs is wrapped in hard-earned wisdom and heartfelt encouragement:
- Know your craft: Mastery builds confidence and this gives you the confidence to be an active part of the design team.
- Never stop learning: Technology and innovation demand it. We never know everything, and in a field like lighting where new technology and innovation is ever growing, we need to keep learning every day.
- Go deeper: Don’t stop at the first idea; refine and perfect it. Go deep on your design process, your research and your execution – don’t stop short on your first inspiration or design idea, allow yourself to explore what is best for the project and how to implement it.
- Test everything: Physical mock-ups reveal truths that simulations can’t. Experiment. Build mock-ups– both virtual and physical. Especially in lighting, where physics may be expressed in photometry, and the physical sample guide you to uncover details and nuances that a virtual model never will.
- Ask questions: There’s no weakness in seeking knowledge. There are no wrong questions, only the wrong assumption from not chasing the answers of what you don’t know – being shy does not help you to make an educated design decision. Nobody knows everything– and that’s perfectly fine.
Ask what you don’t know. And if someone asks you something you can’t answer, be honest to say that you don’t know, but will surely get back with the answer. That’s how trust is built, and how real expertise grows.
- Lead with positivity and kindness: Assertiveness and empathy are not opposites- they can (and should) coexist. Be positive and kind. No level of knowledge, position, or hierarchy ever gives you the right to forget the golden rule: treat others the way you wish to be treated.
Positivity allows you to solve problems with less stress. Kindness allows you to communicate with others with empathy. You can be assertive and kind at the same time.
Regina’s words reflect not just the discipline of a designer, but the character of a leader.
Lighting the Way Forward
Regina Santos has built LIGHT FUSION not merely as a business but as a creative laboratory where artistry, science, and cultural awareness converge to transform spaces. Her work affirms that light is not just illumination; it is identity, mood, and memory woven into the very fabric of place.
From Dubai to destinations worldwide, Regina continues to design spaces that don’t simply shine; they speak, breathe, and belong. And in doing so, she has illuminated not just interiors, but an entire philosophy of design, securing her place as one of the most distinctive voices in global lighting today.