Fernando Rial Ponce

Studio Design Director | Architecture & Concept Design Leadership Across the GCC, Spain & Portugal

Doha, Qatar

About

Architect and design leader with more than 24 years of international experience delivering complex architectural, mixed-use, hospitality, residential, commercial and master planning projects across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Currently serving as Studio Design Director at KEO International Consultants, leading the Qatar Concept Design Studio and providing design leadership across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE. I work at the intersection of design excellence, client engagement and strategic growth, helping transform ambitious ideas into commercially successful and architecturally meaningful projects. My career spans leadership roles at KEO, NBBJ, HOK, Studio FUKSAS and IDOM with experience in Spain, Italy, China, Hong Kong and the GCC. This global perspective allows me to combine creativity, business understanding and technical expertise to deliver projects that respond to both local culture and international standards. I am particularly interested in high-rise buildings, mixed-use developments, large-scale master planning, design innovation, AI-enabled workflows and the future of architectural practice. Passionate about mentoring teams, advancing digital design capabilities and creating architecture that delivers lasting value for clients, communities and cities.

Experience

  • KEO Group (Doha, Catar · On-site)
    • Studio Design Director
      Jul 2025 - Present · 1 yr

      Leading KEO's Qatar Concept Design Studio, with responsibility for design leadership across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE. Based in Doha, I oversee project direction, creative quality, design strategy and studio operations for a wide range of concept-stage projects. Working closely with clients and multidisciplinary teams, I lead the development of mixed-use, hospitality, residential, commercial, civic and large-scale master planning projects across the GCC. In addition to project leadership, I support KEO's strategic growth initiatives in Saudi Arabia and contribute to the firm's expansion efforts in Spain and Portugal through client engagement, pursuit support and design-led market development.

    • Head of Studio Design
      Sep 2023 - Jul 2025 · 1 yr 11 mos

  • NBBJ Design (Hong Kong)
    • Senior Associate / Senior Designer / Studio Design Computation Leader - Digital
      Feb 2020 - Jul 2023 · 3 yrs 6 mos

    • Associate / Senior Designer
      Jan 2018 - Feb 2020 · 2 yrs 2 mos

  • HOK (4 yrs 9 mos)
    • Associate Senior Project Designer
      Feb 2016 - Dec 2017 · 1 yr 11 mos

    • Associate Senior Project Designer
      Apr 2013 - Feb 2016 · 2 yrs 11 mos

  • Professor of the Parametric and Generative Laboratory at INARCH Nazionale
    May 2012 - Jul 2013 · 1 yr 3 mos

    Parametric and Generative Laboratory is an initiative of dcrarq and is part of the Master in Digital Architecture, Expert Designer in emerging technologies by the INARCH of Rome. The program of the Parametric and Generative Laboratory is focused in generating design process based on digital morphogenesis using parametric software.

  • Senior Design Architect at Studio Fuksas
    Dec 2010 - Nov 2012 · 2 yrs

    Massimiliano Fuksas Architetto is a major international practice with a record of delivering acclaimed projects all over the world. Fuksas studios are multidisciplinary offices including: architects, urban planners, designers, landscape architects, multimedia section and a fully equipped model laboratory where more than 10 architects work.