The new president of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has been named – and he immediately sees a challenge in the UK meeting the government’s house building targets.

Justin Sullivan is the 143rd RICS president, having been the chief executive of construction consultancy Adair.

He says the industry has an acute skills shortage, with encouraging the next generation into the profession being one of his key focus areas for 2025.

Sullivan says he 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 says he’s also keen to maintain and expand recognition of the profession’s positive impact on society at large, and his work over the next 12 months will reflect these interests.

“My eyes are firmly set on the future, and particularly the next generation of surveyors” he says.

“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.”

Outgoing RICS president Tina Paillet comments: “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 across every global region.

“The built environment plays a crucial role in humanity’s future, particularly with combating climate change and achieving Net Zero through sustainable development and environmentally friendly processes. The industry also faces profound skills shortages across all global regions, which is something I know Justin is passionate about tackling. I wish him all the best for his time as RICS President in 2025.”