Justin Sullivan joined the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) on 1 January 2025 and welcomed 9 new members to the Governing Council
Under the leadership of Justin Sullivan, who serves as the 143rd President, supported in the Presidential Team by Nick Maclean (president elect) and Maureen Ehrenberg (senior vice president), the 2025 Governing Council includes a diverse group of 26 members, covering strategic areas of the profession from around the world and featuring seven newly elected professionals from the latest elections.
New members of the RICS Governing Council include:
- Stephen Ballesty FRICS, Asia Pacific seat
- Victoria Clapp FRICS, UK & Ireland seat
- Alison Cosa MRICS, UK & Ireland seat
- Jason Hardman MRICS, Valuation seat
- Graham Jones FRICS, Construction seat
- Jagath Keerthisooriya FRICS, Middle East & Africa seat
- Lynda Rawsthorne FRICS, UK & Ireland seat
Lawyer Rosalyn Schofield and accountant Darina Armstrong will also join the Governing Council as Appointed Members, sharing their specialised expertise with the panel.
Justin Sullivan expressed enthusiasm about the newly elected Council members, saying: “The fresh perspectives and expertise brought by our new members will be instrumental in guiding RICS into a future where we continue to build public trust and champion positive social impact within our profession.”
Justin’s presidential term will see him focus on tackling the skills shortage
Justin is the founder and CEO of Adair, which has provided expert construction consultancy services globally for over thirty years.
Justin is passionate about developing the next generation of surveyors and recognises the challenges that ongoing skills shortages across the globe present to the profession and the built environment as a whole.
He is also keen to maintain and expand recognition of the profession’s positive impact on society at large, and his work over the next twelve months will reflect these interests.
Speaking after his appointment, Justin said: “It is an enormous honour to serve as President for an organisation which has supported and promoted the surveying profession for over 150 years. Whilst RICS certainly has an incredible history, my eyes are firmly set on the future, and particularly the next generation of surveyors.
“Across the globe, demand for built environment professionals of all specialisms is white hot, and opportunities for the next generation are profound. We need to get more young people considering and entering surveying as a career. The UK faces many challenges – we need to build more homes, but face skills shortages which threaten to derail these plans. Similarly, surveyors and other built environment professionals are in short supply across the globe, most acutely in regions where construction is booming, such as the Middle East. We must also develop an increasingly welcoming profession which is open to people of all backgrounds and identities – a crucial cornerstone for getting more youth into the profession.
“There is much work to be done, and I look forward to the challenge. I also want to congratulate Tina Paillet for her excellent work as President in 2024, which saw RICS take up a leading role in sustainability and addressing climate change at a global level. I wish her continued success for the future.”
Outgoing RICS president, Tina Paillet, said:
“I am delighted to see Justin Sullivan take up the reins of the RICS Presidency for 2025. Being RICS President is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to positively influence the profession on the world stage, and meet with, listen to, and implement the needs of our members and stakeholders across every global region.
“Professionals in the built and natural environment play a crucial role in humanity’s future, particularly in the face of climate change, resource depletion and biodiversity loss. This is especially important in the decisive decade in which we find ourselves. RICS can and will continue to provide the industry with the forums, tools, data and training to tackle these issues as well as influencing and supporting decision making at the highest levels.
“The industry also faces profound skills shortages across all global regions to deliver this sustainable future, which is something I know Justin is passionate about addressing. I wish him all the best for his time as RICS president in 2025.”
