Leading the profession: RICS Governing Council elections are now open
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17 June 2025
By Harriet Kemp, Chair of the RICS Nominations and Remuneration Committee
The surveying profession continues to evolve in response to complex global challenges, and strong leadership has never been more important. Applications for the RICS Governing Council elections are open until 12 August, and with 11 seats available this represents a great opportunity for RICS members to contribute to shaping the future direction of our profession.
What is the RICS Governing Council?
RICS Governing Council is the strategic leadership body that provides independent oversight and governance underpinning everything RICS does. It oversees entry requirements and the setting and enforcement of professional standards to deliver confidence in the built and natural environment. The Council also shapes RICS' priorities as an influential thought leader and provides high-level assurance on operations as a sustainable business and professional body.
With diverse membership from around the world and across core strategic areas of the profession, Governing Council members work collaboratively to understand emerging trends, monitor opportunities and risks, and provide the leadership and expertise to set a strategy that advances public trust in the profession.
All Governing Council members, with the exception of the Presidential Team, the Senior Independent Governor, the Independent Member and two Appointed Members are elected by the membership. This makes the Governing Council a majority membership appointed body, ensuring RICS continues to deliver value to our members while serving the wider public interest.
The opportunities available
This year's elections offer positions across three key areas:
- Professional group seats: We have openings for specialists in Building Surveying and Building Control, Residential Property, and Land and Natural Resources. These roles require deep sector expertise and the ability to translate specialist knowledge into strategic insight that benefits the entire profession.
- Geographic representation: Regional seats ensure that local market knowledge and diverse global perspectives inform our strategic decision-making, helping RICS remain relevant across all the markets where we operate. There will be four seats open for the UK&I, and one each for America’s, Asia-Pacific and Europe.
- Next generation leadership: We are encouraging applications from professionals under 30 for our dedicated next-generation seat – an opportunity to represent and empower tomorrow's surveying leaders while bringing fresh perspectives to our strategic thinking.
Making elections more accessible
Candidates can apply for up to two seats. That means you could apply for both the Next Generation Seat as well as either a geographic or professional group seat, or for both a geographic and professional group seat. Successful candidates will hold one seat on Governing Council, giving you a powerful platform to shape the profession's future.
We have listened to feedback from our members and introduced major changes to make the application process more accessible. This includes cutting supporter requirements from eight to just two RICS members (FRICS/MRICS or AssocRICS). This change specifically supports those in smaller RICS communities, ensuring that geography or network size doesn't prevent excellent candidates from standing.
Another enhancement we have introduced is a new verification stage before voting begins to ensure that candidates are applying for seats for which they are eligible. This process helps match candidates' expertise and experience with the specific requirements of each position, strengthening the overall effectiveness of Governing Council.
Overall, the election process is designed to delivering a transparent and impartial process and promote professional excellence - independent election specialists Mi-voice conduct secure, confidential voting while the Nominations and Remuneration Committee ensures rigorous candidate verification and ethical oversight.
Why this matters
The surveying profession faces unprecedented change. From technological transformation and sustainability imperatives to evolving regulatory landscapes and changing client expectations, the decisions we make today will shape the profession for decades to come. Governing Council members play a crucial role in navigating these challenges and ensuring RICS remains at the forefront of professional excellence.
If you are passionate about the future of surveying, have the strategic insight to contribute to high-level decision-making, and want to help ensure RICS continues to serve both our members and the public interest, I encourage you to consider applying. Applications are open until midday BST 12 August 2025 and you can apply through this link.
Whether you're a specialist in one of our key professional areas, represent a specific geographic market, or are part of the next generation of surveying leaders, your voice and perspective could help shape the future of our profession.
