RIYA THOMAS
Dubai
Summary
Award-winning design leader with over 10 years of experience in delivering luxury and large-scale interior projects across the Middle East. Expertise includes leading multidisciplinary teams and managing complex client relationships, ensuring alignment of creative strategies with business objectives. Proven ability to drive high-performance project delivery from concept to completion while integrating sustainable and innovative design principles. Committed to elevating design standards and exceeding client expectations through a collaborative and strategic approach.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
SENIOR DESIGN MANAGER – INTERIORS
The First Group
01.2024 - Current
- Spearhead design direction and ongoing execution for an AED 900million luxury hotel, soon to be the tallest hotel in the world, maintaining vision consistency while ensuring local compliance.
- Mentor a cross-functional team of designers, architects, procurement, and consultants ensuring alignment with brand aesthetics and functional requirements.
- Initiated a strategic internal design audit processes that improved quality benchmarks and reduced revision cycles by 30%.
- Directed the development of high-impact management presentations, design mockups, and immersive walkthroughs, setting quality benchmarks and ensuring alignment with strategic project goals.
- Integrated sustainable design choices that aligned with ESG targets, including materials sourcing and low-energy solutions.
- Collaborated with project managers to develop and implement execution strategies, ensuring seamless coordination, timely delivery of goods, and efficient site readiness.
SENIOR DESIGN MANAGER - INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
Dubai Airports
01.2022 - 01.2024
- Crafted design studies for short and long-term Dubai Airport projects, prioritizing guest experience enhancement through conceptual excellence in planning.
- Led design teams in complex scenarios, showcasing extensive team leadership experience.
- Effectively communicated, analyzed, and presented issues with stakeholders using industry-relevant reasoning and sketches of designs developed from thorough research.
- Owned and managed design stage reviews, supervise and mentored designers.
- Actively produced high-level task deliverables that maximizes functionality, flow and aesthetic appeal that align with project’s design & budget.
- Created compelling presentations that effectively conveys concept designs and project progress for approvals, effectively.
CREATIVE DESIGN LEAD - FREELANCE
LXA
01.2021 - 01.2021
- Led concept and schematic design development for multiple high-rise residential and F&B projects, translating client briefs into distinctive, commercially viable design solutions.
- Managed IFC drawing reviews and production, collaborating with and mentoring draftsmen, visualizers, and junior designers both in-house and remotely.
- Coordinated with contractors and suppliers on drawings, material selections, and approvals to ensure timely implementation and design integrity.
- Developed and delivered compelling client presentations, mood boards, sketches, curated material samples, and FFE selections to communicate and secure design intent.
INTERIOR DESIGN MANAGER
Driven Properties
01.2019 - 01.2021
- Led the design over of over 20+ completed projects in residential, commercial, and retail design.
- Coordinated with local consultants and vendors to ensure on-time project delivery.
- Contractor & Vendor Management: Generated budgets, proposals, and bid tabulations for various spec packages and maintained a library of vendors and suppliers.
- Client Expansion and Marketing: Enhanced client base by 70% through team training and secured a 40% annual lead growth via agent training and marketing efforts.
- Versatile with Business Acumen: Handled diverse projects, negotiated deals with various clients, and optimized team performance as an independent thinker.
SENIOR INTERIOR DESIGNER
Wasl Properties
01.2017 - 01.2019
- Design development: Spearheaded design development and planning across various stages, from concept to IFC, for multiple projects.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration: Steered diverse teams with architects, MEP, and internal departments for cohesive, high-caliber designs.
- Project Management: Ensured on-time and on-budget delivery of brand projects, adeptly managing contracts and financials for multiple initiatives.
- Technical detailing: Preparation of detailed technical documents, specifications, and construction documents through coordination with interdisciplinary teams.
- Space planning: Developed and designed efficient layouts that maximize flow and aesthetic appeal.
- Quality assurance: conducting site visits, inspections, vendor management, suppliers, material inspections, control samples and construction detail development with contractors to ensure the quality of the design is maintained.
INTERIOR DESIGNER
Bishop Design LLC
01.2016 - 01.2017
- Collaborated with the lead designer for the design of multiple projects in hospitality and F&B design.
- Coordination with team of 3d visualizers and draughtsman throughout the design stages.
- Prepared client presentation documents and award documents for presentation.
- Assisted in step-by-step process of seeking approval from the client to proceed with the next steps of the project.
Education
EMBA - Masters
S P JAIN School of Global Management ( 2020-2022 )
Dubai, U.A.E01-2022
Master of Arts - Interior design
University of Westminster ( 2014-2015 )
London, UK01-2015
Bachelor of Architecture - Architecture
Sathyabama University ( 2009 - 2014 )
Chennai, India01-2014
Skills
- Strategic leadership
- Cross-functional team leadership
- Effective public speaking
- Full lifecycle project execution
- Stakeholder management
- Budget & Resource Management
- Proficient in AutoCAD
- Proficient in SketchUp
- Proficient in Adobe Suite
- Experienced with Midjourney AI
- Brand strategy
- Content strategy
Accomplishments
- Recognized Industry Voice: Invited as a panelist at INDEX 2025, sharing insights on design innovation and industry trends.
- Team Development: Mentored and upskilled junior designers, draftsmen, and visualizers, raising overall team output quality and fostering independent problem-solving.
- Created a winning pitch for a big real estate client which contributed to continuous revenue generation for 3 consecutive years.
Notable projects
- CIEL, Dubai Marina (Ongoing): Full Interior design strategy and execution for 5-star hotel in Dubai.
- TopGolf Dubai (2018): Lead for planning and interior concepts and execution of this gaming facility: one of the very first in the MENA region.
- W Hotels Mina Seyahi (2018): Full interior design concept and guest room package execution.
- Andaz, Dubai
- Hyatt centric, Dubai
- The Island Project ( MGM, Aria, Bellagio )
- Emirates Business and First Class Lounge redesign, Dubai airports
- Concourse C redevelopment, Dubai airports
- Terminal 2 departure lounge redevelopment, Dubai airports
Additional Information
· Recognized Industry Voice:Invited as a panelist at INDEX 2025, sharing insights on design innovation and industry trends.
· Team Development:Mentored and upskilled junior designers, draftsmen, and visualizers, raising overall team output quality and fostering independent problem-solving.
· Created a winning pitch for a big real estate client which contributed to continuous revenue generation for 3 consecutive years.
Timeline
SENIOR DESIGN MANAGER – INTERIORS
The First Group
01.2024 - Current
SENIOR DESIGN MANAGER - INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
Dubai Airports
01.2022 - 01.2024
CREATIVE DESIGN LEAD - FREELANCE
LXA
01.2021 - 01.2021
INTERIOR DESIGN MANAGER
Driven Properties
01.2019 - 01.2021
SENIOR INTERIOR DESIGNER
Wasl Properties
01.2017 - 01.2019
INTERIOR DESIGNER
Bishop Design LLC
01.2016 - 01.2017
EMBA - Masters
S P JAIN School of Global Management ( 2020-2022 )
Master of Arts - Interior design
University of Westminster ( 2014-2015 )
Bachelor of Architecture - Architecture
Sathyabama University ( 2009 - 2014 )
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