He will take the reins of the RIBA board of trustees in January

The RIBA has today announced that architect and past RIBA president Jack Pringle has been selected as chair elect of its board of trustees.   

The board oversees the organisation’s operations, working with the RIBA council - the representative body - which oversees the organisation’s strategy on behalf of its membership of professional architects.

Jack Pringle new

Jack Pringle

Pringle has been elected four months after lawyer Nigel Carrington quit the role and is expected to become chair in January 2021, joining the nine trustees already appointed. 

Carrington resigned in July, two months before he was due to formally become the first chair of the RIBA’s newly constituted board. 

At the time Pringle said it was “insane” for a non-architect to run the RIBA.

Pringle, who founded his first architecture practice in 1981, announced earlier this month that he is setting up a new practice next spring after leaving Perkins & Will following eight years at the firm.

Pringle and Chris Brandon, who has also left the architect, sold their Pringle Brandon business to the US practice in 2012 after first setting it up in 1986.

He was RIBA president from 2005 to 2007 and chair of the Construction Industry Council from 2012 to 2014.  

The board is made up of the RIBA president Alan Jones, honorary secretary Graham Devine, honorary treasurer Simone de Gale, as well as RIBA council and independent members.

Pringle said: “It’s important to ensure the new structure of council, board and executive works effectively and harmoniously, so I will be focusing on that first, which includes getting to know my new colleagues and the skills they bring to the board.

“Then, there is a lot to do and I am looking forward to getting on with it.” 

Two further trustees are to be appointed in the near future. 

RIBA board

  • RIBA president Alan Jones
  • Honorary secretary Graham Devine
  • Honorary treasurer Simone de Gale
  • Jo Bacon (Culture & events)  
    Architect and managing partner of Allies and Morrison Architects, Jo Bacon has over 30 years’ experience in practice and is chair of the RIBA Awards Group.  
  • Murray Orr (Business & enterprise)  
    Senior banker and chartered accountant Murray Orr has over 40 years’ experience in the financial services industry.  
  • Valeria Passetti (Membership development)  
    Valeria Passetti is managing director at Conception Architects and RIBA vice president (Membership).  
  • MaryAnne Stevens (Heritage) 
    MaryAnne Stevens is an art historian, curator and lecturer and former director of academic affairs, Royal Academy of Arts, London.   
  • Marjorie Strachan (Organisational change)
    Strategic advisor Marjorie Strachan has led various organisational development programmes in the private and public sector.  
  • Nicky Watson (Learning) 
    Architect and director at JDDK Architects for 20 years, Nicky Watson is currently chair of RIBA education committee.  

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