RICS Names New President for 2026

Nick Maclean OBE RD FRICS was inaugurated as the 144^th President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) on 1 January 2026.

As President, Nick will bring 30 years’ experience at CBRE including being Chair of CBRE Middle East and North Africa Region and seven years as a Scottish Trade Envoy. He has also been an active member of RICS for over 20 years serving on Governing Council and is a former Chair.

He will assume the position of President having held the role of Acting President since March 2025.

Over the last three years the RICS has undergone transformation, at the heart of which it says has been improving the member experience. In 2026, Nick and the leadership team will be focusing on four key areas to its members: Skills, Homes & Infrastructure, Sustainability & Resilience, and Data & Technology.

New RICS President

Speaking at the inauguration, RICS President Nick Maclean, said: “It is one of the proudest achievements of my career to serve as President of RICS, an organisation with such an incredible history and which is synonymous with our industry.

“It’s such an exciting time for the RICS as it evolves to meet the fundamental reshaping of real estate driven by technology and sustainability and profound social, cultural and geoeconomic shifts. The role of the RICS as both an industry and consumer-facing organisation has never been more important.

“Central to this work will be a focus on lifelong learning with RICS ensuring support for everyone who wishes to practice in our profession from fourteen to retirement and beyond. We know that persistent skills shortages across the built environment will increasingly constrain delivery which is why we must build and maintain a robust pipeline of talent whilst elevating the importance of professional standards in the public interest.

“The housing crisis remains one of the most critical issues facing our government and the country, with planning reform and accelerated delivery necessitating increasing reliance on professional advisors around land, viability, valuation, development and risk.

“2026 will see an acceleration in transition from net zero ambition to delivery, putting more pressure on professional expertise to manage climate risk, retrofit, resilience and long-term value in the built and natural environment.

“Finally, permeating the full spectrum of the industry, the digital revolution will continue apace, with advances in AI, data and digital tools changing the way and speed at which the sector operates. Professional standards, integrity and judgement in its application in the public interest is central to how we embrace change.”

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