Director, Design Doha Biennial
Fahad Al Obaidly is director of Design Doha Biennial, where he leads one of the region’s most ambitious platforms positioning design as an engine for economic growth, cultural exchange, and global dialogue.
Working at the intersection of design, the economy and culture, he focuses on building systems that connect designers to industry, institutions and markets. With his approach rooted in design ecology, he views design as an interconnected network of production, knowledge and value creation, rather than a standalone discipline.
Through Design Doha, he has developed large-scale exhibitions, public design commissions and international partnerships that position the MENASA region as both a producer of design knowledge and a competitive market. His work extends beyond programming into shaping long-term frameworks for the design industry, including talent development pipelines, research initiatives and cross-border collaborations.
His practice is driven by a clear ambition: to transform design from a cultural expression into a sustainable economic and knowledge system for the region.
