PROJECT DIRECTOR

Jacqui has been working in Stage and Production Management for the last 25 years. with a major focus on Conservatoire training. She has taught at several conservatoires and is a Master of Education and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. In 2018 Jacqui joined the senior leadership team at Sharjah Performing Arts Academy to design and implement a Conservatoire performing and production arts undergraduate training, the first of its kind in the MENA region.

Jacqui has worked with professional companies such as National Theatre Wales, National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and Shared Experience. She has toured the UK extensively, produced Rep seasons in the West End, and internationally worked in Shanghai; World Expo, Berliner Festspiele, and Paphos; City of Culture. Jacqui also enjoys producing work with her and her husband’s company, We Made This.

Jacqui was one half of Stand By Please, the stage management podcast and is currently writing a book to be published by Routledge "The Art of Collaboration".

PROJECT LEADER

David is a Production Manager with 36+ years of experience collaborating with creative and technical teams to successfully deliver productions across Europe, Asia, Australia and the UAE. He has managed a diverse range and scale of productions.

Most recently David production managed 'Varuna' at the Bali Marine and Safari Park, Indonesia. Career highlights include production managing at Scottish Opera (UK), stage musicals ‘Crazy for You’ and ‘Cats Goes to the Circus’ (Australia) Large scale events such as Citrawana (Malaysia), Indigenous touring productions (Australia), concerts featuring Frank Sinatra, Joes Carrera and Sarah Vaughan and numerous arts festivals (UK and Australia). Project managing exhibitions such as Madame Tussauds (Hong Kong) ‘Spiders’ touring exhibition and UNIMA World Congress (Australia).

David is also an educator who over the past 12 years has been teaching and leading production arts students to deliver shows and events across the globe.

SCENOFEST PRODUCER

Ambika is a creative producer, curator, and writer. She has worked in the curatorial department at Sharjah Art Foundation and in the Indian and Islamic Department at Christie’s, London. Her writings on Asian modern and contemporary art have appeared in ArtAsiaPacific, Aesthetica, Asian Art Newspaper, frieze, and other publications. Ambika also works as a creative producer, contributing her skills to various videos, commercials, and artistic projects. With experience in the UAE, UK, India, and Germany, she brings a dynamic approach to her multifaceted career. Additionally, she is the founder of the UAE’s first artisanal hot sauce brand, which has collaborated with Michelin-starred restaurants and been featured in BBC Good Food, Entrepreneur Magazine, and The National. Ambika holds an MA in Contemporary Art Theory from Goldsmiths, University of London.

JURY COORDINATOR

Wafa is delighted to introduce herself as the Jury Coordinator for World Stage Design 2025. She serves as the first point of contact for any inquiries about the Exhibition. She has completed her B.A. in Mass Communication/Public Relations & Advertising from Ajman University. 

She is a dedicated and adaptable professional with over 8 years of diverse experience across customer service, administrative, and support roles. Skilled at efficiently managing a wide range of responsibilities, from handling inquiries and maintaining records to providing administrative support and delivering exceptional client service. She excels at prioritizing tasks, problem-solving, and working collaboratively within dynamic team environments. The opportunity to contribute her skills and expertise to this innovative and creative field is fascinating, and she looks forward to being a part of the World Stage Design community that continues to grow and evolve. 

MARKETING & PARTNERSHIPS

Ancy is a strategic communications professional with over 15 years of experience in the UAE, specializing in developing and managing communications campaigns for local, multinational, semi-government, and government organizations.

She teaches communications modules at the University level as an adjunct lecturer. She is also a writer catering to diverse business audiences. 

In addition to her professional background, Ancy has been championing dance and performing arts with a disability—Cerebral Palsy. She advocates for the rights and inclusion of People of determination through adaptive dance, writing, and public speaking. 

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS CO-ORDINATOR

SCENOFEST CO-ORDINATOR

Shruthi is a multidisciplinary artist, choreographer, writer, and curator with over 20 years of experience across the performing arts scenes in the UAE and Canada. With a background spanning all aspects of performance-making, she integrates research, conceptualisation and event design with intuitive ease. Across two decades, she has curated and created intimate, immersive experiences that blend emotional resonance with rigorous self-inquiry and artistic discipline.

As the founder of an independent movement company, Shruthi’s practice draws from personal archives, cultural memory, and collaborative exploration. She has written for stage and research-based commissions including The Kingmaker (Brampton City Council), The Line (Sharjah Biennial), and the Independent Dance segment of the NYUAD Mapping Project.

As the Scenofest Coordinator, she brings the insights of a performance-creative and the skillset of a project designer to support the event’s vision and programming—her focus lies in cultivating intimate, layered experiences that foster collaboration, prompt self-reflection, and encourage meaningful pan-cultural exchange

MARKETING CO-ORDINATOR

Driven by a passion for visual storytelling and impactful communication through design, Hiran brings over seven years of experience in the U.A.E.'s diverse industries, with a strong skillset encompassing print design, marketing, branding, and various other graphic design disciplines.

The opportunity to actively contribute his expertise to the dynamic and creative World Stage Design team and to contribute the visual strategy of the WSD 2025, is incredibly inspiring and he eagerly looks forward to shaping its exciting journey.

EXHIBITION DESIGNER

Andy has straddled design and production for more than 3 decades in theatre, exhibition, live events and art installation. Starting as a stage carpenter in London’s West End in the mid 90s, he went on to study Theatrical Design at Nottingham Trent University. Fusing hands-on knowledge with design capability is Andy’s hallmark.

He worked extensively with influential companies including The Almeida Theatre, DV8 and Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and lead scenic teams on multiple world tours.

From 2005 Andy’s own scenic workshop produced scenery for The National Theatre, The Royal Court and Raymond Gubbay Opera among others.

Having emigrated to Dubai in 2009 Andy has played key roles in major events such as National Day & New Year Celebrations, Grand openings for the likes of DPR, KIZAD, Ferrari World and provided staging and scenery for many of the regions theme parks. For EXPO2020 Andy was TD for Five Currents and provided automated scenery for both opening and closing shows.

Andy Co-Owns D4-Pro (Design 4 Production). Based in Dubai they work with a broad range of clients developing creative concepts into deliverable reality.

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

Fatima AlShurafa is an Emirati quality assurance specialist at Sharjah Performing Arts Academy (SPAA). With a Bachelor’s degree in Quality and Strategy and an MBA, she combines strategic insight with a passion for educational excellence.

 Known for her strong communication skills, integrity, and dedication to her work, Fatima is proficient in English and deeply passionate about the field of education. Originally from Kalba City, she has volunteered extensively in her community before pursuing her career. Outside of her professional life, Fatima loves photography, which fuels her creative side and adds a personal touch to her approach in both her work and hobbies.

Her dedication to fostering continuous improvement in the educational sector is central to her role at SPAA, where she helps drive world-class performing arts education in the UAE.

INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER CO-ORDINATOR

Sean studied theatre design at Wimbledon School of Art, graduating in 1985, over the past 35 years he has designed over 200 productions for companies across UK and Europe. He became Head of Design at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 1999 and in 2011 became Director of Drama.

He was Chair of the Society of British Theatre Designers between 2011 and 2019 and Chair of the Association of Theatre Design Courses UK between 2001 to 2008. Sean was elected to OISTATs executive committee in 2013. He has been a member of the Linbury Prize advisory committee since 2002. In 2007, Sean was Project Leader and Co-Designer for the Prague Quadrennial Scenofest and in 2013, as the Project Leader for World Stage Design 2013 he helped bring 13,000 exhibitors, practitioners, and visitors to Cardiff. He is both educator and practitioner, allowing both pursuits to inform his practice in each area.

F&B COORDINATOR

Ahmed is a food and beverage professional with extensive experience in F&B operations, catering, and event service management across the UAE and Sudan. He has led food service delivery for restaurants, large-scale catering projects, and cultural events, focusing on quality, logistics, and guest satisfaction.

He specializes in vendor coordination, menu planning, and operational efficiency, with a passion for creating memorable food experiences for all attendees.

At WSD25, he is proud to contribute to the event's creative vision through thoughtful, well-executed F&B services.