The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has appointed Martin Samworth as chair of its new board, in line with a major review published earlier this year.  

Samworth, who takes up his post immediately, has more than 40 years of industry experience and says he will “build influence with stakeholders and work with the wider industry in attracting a new and dynamic generation of young professionals”.  

The surveyor’s body says the move is a key part of the six-month Lord Bichard Rics Review, published in June, which sets out to overhaul the association by handing its members more decision-making powers. The search for a new board chair began in September.  

The group says its majority-member board will oversee day-to-day operations and execute strategic plans set out by the governing council.   

The new structure also sees parity for the new Rics board with the standards and regulation board, with both accountable to governing council. The new move will see a clear separation of the association’s regulatory functions and its membership work.  

Rics chair of the appointments panel and co-chair of the nomination and renumeration committee Harriet Kemp says: “We are confident that Martin will seize this opportunity to push forward and lead from the front on the issues that matter — such as climate change and sustainability, data and tech, diversity and inclusion and the future skills needed.”  

Samworth, a chartered surveyor, adds: “Rics is a broadly based institution that must be forward thinking with a clear identity and an authoritative voice. It should be bold and passionate, ambitious and challenging, and must speak out positively to influence the issues that matter.  

“As a strong advocate for change and evolution, I believe passionately that this role has the potential to make a significant difference and positive impact on both the profession and its standing in both the built environment and the wider business world.”  

Samworth built his career at real-estate group CBRE, joining as a graduate and leaving in 2020, after holding a range of positions including head of investment and managing director of commercial markets, managing director of the UK business, chief executive, and then chairman of CBRE’s advisory business across Asia Pacific as well as Europe, the Middle East and Africa.  

Following his retirement from CBRE at the end of 2020, Samworth took up a number of chair and non-executive director roles in proptech, executive search, and property investment and development companies.