Design Manufacturer

Charles Brill is the Managing Partner of RBW & Arkoslight USA, a pioneering, B Corp-certified lighting design and manufacturing brand based in New York and Valencia, Spain. Since establishing the company (formerly Rich Brilliant Willing) in 2007 alongside fellow Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) alumni, Charles has helped steer RBW from a scrappy Manhattan basement studio into a globally recognized leader in contemporary lighting.

Under Charles’s co-leadership, RBW took an early leap into LED technology, designing from the technology outward to create award-winning fixtures that blend warmth, simplicity, and high performance. Today, the brand is a trusted partner and favorite among top architects and designers—including David Rockwell and Yabu Pushelberg—delivering innovative lighting solutions for hospitality, workplace, and residential projects worldwide.

RBW and Arkoslight are deeply committed to the belief that light can profoundly shape environments, enhance communities, and improve everyday well-being. The company is part design firm, part manufacturer. RBW’s expanding footprint includes a flagship immersive 3-story space at 85 Franklin Street in Tribeca and a state-of-the-art 100,000-square-foot factory in Kingston, New York. This unique structure allows RBW to build direct relationships with designers while maintaining close oversight of manufacturing and production details.

Beyond his day-to-day operations at RBW, Charles is a passionate advocate for the next generation of creatives, having co-established the RBW Endowed Scholarship at RISD. He brings to the Brick & Wonder community a deep dedication to independent design leadership, sustainable manufacturing, material exploration, and purpose-driven business.