Samta Nadeem
Samta's interdisciplinary background equips her with a keen perspective on creative cultures and how they intertwine with contemporary complexities. A lighting designer, curator, critical thinker and creative director, she is passionate about engaging with issues of social and environmental justice through design and discourse. Samta has an MA in Curating Contemporary Design and freelances with institutions such as the Design Museum London. She leads curatorial programming and communications at STIR.
Irene Mazzei
Dr. Irene Mazzei, Sustainability Lead at Stoane Lighting, has been working in the lighting industry for the past 3 years, starting with an innovative collaboration between Edinburgh Napier University and Stoane Lighting on the topic of Life Cycle Assessment in lighting.
Before that, Irene received her PhD in Chemistry after completing her BSc and MSc in Materials Science, studying sustainable alternatives to conventional industrial processes. During her work in the lighting industry, she’s collaborated directly with manufacturers and the wider lighting community, assessing the impacts of products and processes using LCA and other methodologies. In 2023, she was Technical Lead in the working group focused on the creation of a lighting-dedicated version of CIBSE TM65 embodied carbon assessment methodology – TM65.2 and among other things she is now leading knowledge-sharing initiatives and is directly involved in projects looking at improving the harmonisation of LCA practices in the lighting industry.
James Poore
James is the founder and CCO of JPLD having dedicated his career to lighting and he has been working in the field of architectural lighting design for over 20 years. JPLD are an award-winning independent lighting consultancy covering all aspects of lighting and lighting design, working locally, nationally and internationally with a broad portfolio of projects and clients across the world.
James has given talks on light and lighting both locally and internationally, has written articles for various journals and publications and is a member and council member for the SLL (Society of Light and Lighting) and CIBSE (Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers) as well as the ILP (Institute of Lighting Professionals), where he sits on the education & architectural committees. He is also a fellow of the RSA. James is a member of the advisory board of the Lighting Police since 2022 supporting the team raising awareness about the importance of adequate light in our lives.
Grimanesa Amorós
"Illuminating Boundaries: The Exploration and Creation of Art Through Light"
Grimanesa Amorós is a Peruvian-born American multimedia creative whose work explores community connections intersecting history, technology, and architecture. Her keen understanding of structure enables her to create monumental sculptures incorporating various elements such as video, lighting, and electronic components to create immersive environments and connect the viewer to their surroundings.
Technology compliments the concepts of her work without defining it — a medium of expression. Describing her work as a "constant romance with the unknown", Amorós first incorporated light into her practice following a fated trip to Iceland. While there, she saw the northern lights and realized the powerful ephemeral magic light held. She discusses light's ability to transcend social and geographic boundaries "we all connect to light."
Drawing upon critical cultural legacies and landscapes, Amorós is inspired by the communities she creates within. Installing and programming each piece on-site, direct interaction with the surrounding architecture is key to creating her work. "Ultimately, the piece connects the viewers, space, and light sculpture, merging them into one." Grimanesa Amorós' artwork ties the past, present, and future — pushing viewers to think beyond and challenging their initial perceptions.
Commenting on her involvement in the UK's only exhibition dedicated to lighting specification, Amorós said: "LiGHT 23 will be where those who love light can unite and convene about the latest tech and how light is being used. Join me for this year's LiGHT 23 to learn how light and art intermingle and how to live in 'A constant Romance with the Unknown'. I am looking forward to seeing you all.”
Neil Knowles
I've been designing lighting for architectural projects for 30 years now, 24 of which have been as founder of Elektra Lighting Design, and I've won the Lighting Design Awards for Best Hospitality Lighting twice.
Lighting can be about so much more than simply allowing you to see. It can shape and define spaces, draw attention (or distract), create atmosphere, and turn an empty shell into a beautiful space. Light can be art, and light can be beauty. At Elektra we use lighting to generate emotional connections between people and spaces, creating authentic spaces with lighting solutions that will ensure the success of a project.
At Elektra we understand that each project is unique, and each deserves an individual lighting design. We use our extensive experience, knowledge and creative flair to make every single project as good as it can be.
Lighting design - on time, on brand and on budget.
Juan Ferrari
Juan Ferrari is a Lighting Designer with over 30 years of experience in theatrical and architectural lighting. Currently, he co-leads the Lighting Department at Hoare Lea in the UK. Over the past decade, he has been working across markets worldwide, with a focus on projects in Europe and the Middle East. He is a passionate believer in the power of light to tell stories and shape perceptions. Internationally recognized as a speaker at industry events, he advocates for open communication and idea exchange. His dedication to both people and the planet has established him as a thought leader in lighting design, consistently pursuing innovative solutions that reduce environmental impact while creating enjoyable spaces for people.. Taking a holistic approach, he combines his deep technical knowledge with an understanding of human behaviour to create immersive, simple, and everyday experiences.
Carmela Dagnello
Carmela is a Specialist Lighting Consultant with experience in delivering fully integrated lighting for commercial, residential, leisure facilities, urban realm and transportation hubs. She believes every single new project is a ‘challenge’ to face with creativity and competence. She strives for cooperation to deliver meaningful projects to 'Make a Difference'.
Helen Ankers
An NCTJ qualified journalist, Helen Ankers is Managing Editor of [d]arc media, the leading media brand in the lighting design industry. Having joined Mondiale Publishing in 2012, Helen has worked across numerous titles, editing darc magazine specifically for six years until she was recently promoted to Managing Editor. Now leading [d]arc media's magazine portfolio, comprising arc (architectural lighting design) and darc (decorative lighting design), Helen guides and supports the editorial team, concentrating on editorial content and the creative identity of the print publications and their websites. Helen also supports [d]arc media’s events, [d]arc awards - celebrating the best in lighting design; [d]arc sessions - a new intimate networking event for the lighting sector, and newly launched exhibition LiGHT. Helen draws from her wealth of experience representing [d]arc media at leading exhibitions and design events worldwide.
Miguel Aguado
Miguel Aguado is the EMEA Marketing and Technology Manager for Lutron based in London. He joined Lutron in 2005 with two bachelor’s degrees in engineering. During his career at Lutron, he has held several positions, ranging from product development to marketing and product management. He is currently a senior manager at Lutron and holds several positions of leadership in several organisations, such as the LIA, the DALI Alliance and Lighting Europe.
