Standards Committee

The Standards Committee is a permanent governance body established by the Standards and Regulation Board (SRB) to ensure that RICS professional standards within the built and natural environment are robust, transparent, and uphold the public interest.

Operating independently, the Committee provides oversight and assurance in the development, approval, and implementation of high-quality standards that promote professionalism and integrity across RICS’ global membership. The Committee benefits from the broad diversity and depth of experience of its members, drawing on a wide range of professional backgrounds, disciplines, and geographic perspectives.

The Committee provides assurance to SRB that RICS maintains rigorous, high quality standards globally. This includes ensuring standards are fit for regulatory use, upholding the public interest, promoting member professionalism, and supporting consistent regulation across all markets.

Standards Committee Members

Chair

José Covas

José Covas is the Founder and CEO of José Covas Real Estate, a family office focused on real estate investment and advisory. He is a Chartered Valuation Surveyor (MRICS) with close to 30 years of professional experience in real estate valuation, investment and advisory. His career has been developed within international firms including Colliers, Cushman & Wakefield and Knight Frank. He was a Partner at Aura REE, where he was responsible for the expansion of the firm’s activities in Iberia. His professional experience also includes senior roles in Africa and Brazil, providing a broad international perspective across different market contexts. José currently serves as Chair of the RICS Standards Committee and as RICS Principal Assessor for Europe. He is also a member of the IVSC Standards Review Board and leads the ESG/Sustainability Working Group. He is a professor in postgraduate and master’s programmes in real estate. He has been actively involved in the development and discussion of various regulatory and legislative initiatives, as well as professional standards, with a particular focus on public interest and market transparency.

Ade Williams

Ade Williams MBE FRSA is a multi-award-winning pharmacist, health system leader, and experienced governance professional with a strong track record in service design, research, and innovative practice He serves on the General Pharmaceutical Council and has held senior board roles across multiple NHS organisations, including as Deputy Chair of the NHS Dorset, NHS Somerset, and NHS BSW ICB, and has also contributed to strategic oversight and policy development at the national level as an expert contributor. Recognised for his ability to shape pragmatic, scalable solutions to complex challenges, Ade brings a collaborative, person-centred approach to standards development. His contributions have been widely acknowledged, including an MBE for services to the NHS, fellowships from leading professional bodies, and honorary academic doctorates.

Stephen Gifford

Stephen is an economist with 30 years of professional experience across the public and private sector. He is currently the Chief Economist of the Faraday Institution, Member of the Office for the Internal Market Panel, Member of the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre and until recently a Member of the Regulatory Policy Committee. He was previously the Chief Economist at Grant Thornton, the Director of Economics at the CBI and has held various senior economist roles at KPMG, Oxford Economics, Civil Aviation Authority and the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit.

Anne Davis

Anne Davis is a Chartered Accountant, with over 25 years’ experience in professional regulation, ethics, anti-money laundering supervision and disciplinary standards in the accountancy profession. She has a portfolio career with a blend of voluntary and non-executive roles. In her senior roles in the accountancy professional bodies, Anne led, developed and contributed to transforming regulatory, ethics, disciplinary and anti-money laundering supervisory frameworks, leveraging her financial expertise and an in-depth understanding of UK and international regulatory landscape. She has also been a member and contributor to high-profile government and regulatory committees/working groups, tasked with topical financial and accounting issues. Anne is an experienced NED of charity and not-for-profit organisations with expertise in governance, strategy, risk and organisational performance, including brand awareness and reputation. Anne is currently on the board of Coeliac UK, CABA (Chartered Accountants Benevolent Association) and Sight Concern Bedfordshire. In her most recent Executive role, Anne was Associate Director for RSM UK, where she had responsibility for anti-money and sanctions compliance to mitigate legal and regulatory risks. She has also worked at the IFA, ICAEW, General Motors (UK and NY) and Whitbread.

Suzanne McCarthy

Suzanne has a long involvement with regulation and particularly the development, implementation, and maintenance of standards. She is currently engaged in producing standards for England’s Fire and Rescue Service as Chair of the Fire Standards Board and is Chair Designate of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants’ Regulatory Board. She was previously Chair of the Fundraising Regulator’s Standards Committee with oversight of the Code of Fundraising Practice. She applies standards in her roles as a Greater London Authority Independent Person she reviews possible breaches of the GLA’s Code of Conduct by elected Assembly Members and the Mayor and as a reserve Fitness to Practice Chair for the General Pharmaceutical Council. Suzanne has a legal background, and her executive career included periods at both the Home Office where she served as Private Secretary to two Home Secretaries and at HM Treasury. In the wider public sector, she served as Chief Executive of both the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme as well as UK’s Immigration Services Commissioner. Her Non-Executive appointments have included Board membership of the General Medical Council, the University of London and the Advertising Standards Authority. Currently, a member of the Board of the College of Policing. During her career she has been involved with several membership organisations including as a Board Member of both the Royal Institute of British Architects and of the RICS’s UK and Ireland Regulatory Board.

Dr. Sally Gosling

Sally Gosling worked for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy for many years, leading activity on education and workforce and professional development, for which she was awarded an honorary fellowship. She developed an outcomes-based approach to CPD that informed regulatory requirements for 15 professions, and chaired an education leads group across professional bodies. She was subsequently director of education for the College of Optometrists, inputting to the General Optical Council’s education strategic review and leading the College's education activity during the pandemic. She was then a subject matter expert on credentials for NHS England, before taking up her current role to lead an education review for the Intellectual Property Regulation Board. She also performs roles for several health and care regulatory and professional bodies and sits on the Bar Standards Board’s advisory panel of experts. She has a first degree and PhD in history.

Pauline Wong

Pauline has led the Malaysian Investment Banking Association as its Executive Director for over 27 years, guiding its transformation into a credible voice and vital contributor to the growth of Malaysia’s capital markets. Her leadership has encompassed active engagement with regulators, stakeholders and industry participants on industry guidelines, issues, and initiatives, strengthening the Association’s role as an authoritative source of technical expertise and market perspectives. She has overseen the development of policies that ensured financial sustainability, promoted compliance with industry regulations and best practices, and championed strong corporate governance and integrity within the Association and across member institutions. A Certified Fraud Examiner, Pauline has also advanced talent development and capacity building among members through high quality professional education programs, nurturing intellectual capital and cultivating a culture of excellence. She represents the Association on the Financial Industry Collective Outreach Steering Committee and the Islamic Finance Professional Charter Governing Panel. Independently, she serves as an Independent Non Executive Director on the Board of EWI Capital Bhd and contributes to its Board Risk Management Committee, Audit Committee, and Nomination and Remuneration Committee.