Michael Grubb
Michael Grubb is Founder and Managing Director of Michael Grubb Studio, a multi-award-winning lighting design practice, and one of the most respected voices in the international lighting industry.
Formerly named UK Lighting Designer of the Year, Michael has spent over 28 years shaping how light is used to express identity, place, and purpose. His work spans all sectors, from large-scale urban masterplans and public realm environments to cultural institutions, museums, heritage sites, hospitality destinations, and brand-led spaces. His projects extend across the UK, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and beyond, developed in collaboration with leading architects, designers, and global brands to create distinctive and meaningful spatial narratives through light.
Michael’s work and thinking have been widely featured across television, mainstream media, and specialist design press. His projects have received major industry recognition, including honours from the UK Lighting Design Awards, darc awards, LUX Awards, and Design Week Awards, alongside projects recognised by RIBA, FX Awards and the Landscape Institute.
An established author and speaker, Michael co-authored Stories with Light (2025) and is a regular keynote speaker and CPD presenter worldwide. His talks explore the intersection of creativity, technology, sustainability, and human experience, extending his influence beyond practice into education, advocacy, and thought leadership.
In 2011, Michael was appointed Learning Legacy Ambassador for Lighting by the Olympic Delivery Authority, supporting the capture and dissemination of lighting knowledge and best practice from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to the global design community.
In recognition of his professional achievements and contribution to lighting design, Michael has been elected a Fellow of the Society of Light & Lighting and awarded an Honorary Fellowship by Arts University Bournemouth. He maintains long-standing professional memberships with the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) and the Institute of Lighting Professionals (ILP).