Leading global multi-disciplinary design consultancy, HKR is pleased to announce the promotion of Ayna Azhigali to Director. Ayna has been an integral part of HKR for the past ten years, progressing from Senior Architect to Associate, Associate Director, and now Director. Her expertise spans all project design and delivery stages, with particular strengths in residential mixed-use, hospitality and workplace in both the UK and the MENA region.
Ayna has a proven track record of securing planning approvals and successfully leading projects through construction. Her recent work includes delivering one of the world’s largest fully volumetric residential developments, comprising 9,000 apartments in KSA and designing a large-scale mixed-use residential scheme in the UK, which will provide 348 new affordable homes across four blocks with a new public realm, retail and refurbishment of Grade Two listed train station.
Kola Ojeyomi, Managing Director of HKR comments, “Ayna’s promotion to Director is a testament to her dedication, leadership, and exceptional design expertise. She has been instrumental in delivering high-quality projects that reflect HKR’s ethos always pioneering and challenging convention. As we continue our expansion, particularly in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan, Ayna’s insight and experience will be invaluable in shaping the future of industrialised design and construction while further reinforcing HKR’s position as a global leader in design consultancy.”
On her promotion, Ayna commented: “I’m truly inspired to step into this role at a pivotal moment when HKR is leading the charge in innovation in design and construction. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to HKR’s bold vision for the future, where design excellence thrives within a framework of cutting-edge technology and AI-driven solutions.
“Designing within context, delivering beyond expectation is the team’s guiding principle. I’m excited to be part of it, helping shape the future of our industry and pushing the limits of what’s possible.”
For over 30 years, under the leadership of Jerry Ryan, Executive Chairman and Managing Director, Kola Ojeyomi, HKR has been delivering commercially successful projects across multiple sectors.
In recent years, the firm has positioned itself at the forefront of the industry, improving construction efficiency and reducing environmental impact through cutting-edge technologies. HKR has developed in-house AI-driven design tools that optimise building performance and streamline project workflows, revolutionising the design process and the client experience.