RIBA President Candidates in 2026
23 May 2026
RIBA President, RSAW President-Elect and Council candidates announced
RIBA President, RSAW President-Elect and Council candidates announced
Top row – Duncan Baker-Brown (left), Chithra Marsh (right). Bottom row – Jay Morton (left), Austin Williams (right):
photo courtesy of RIBA / architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has today (21 May 2026) announced four candidates standing for election as RIBA President, alongside those standing for RIBA Council and the RSAW President-Elect.
The RIBA President, RSAW President and RIBA Council Members are elected representatives from RIBA’s membership.
RIBA Council, chaired by the President, acts as the representative body, and is responsible for collecting insight from the membership and the profession to inform the Board’s decisions relating to the strategic direction of the organisation. RIBA Council is responsible for appointing the Trustees to the Board of the RIBA Charity.
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The candidates standing for RIBA President are:
Duncan Baker-Brown
Duncan Baker Brown is the founder of BakerBrown Studio, a small practice based in Brighton, and has over four decades’ experience combining practice, education, and policy. He is a university postgraduate course leader, author and internationally recognised advocate for low carbon, retrofit, and circular design.
Duncan has represented RIBA at multiple UN COP summits and worked directly with UK government on net zero, circular economy and retrofit policy, including VAT reform. His practice has delivered 100% social housing and is a Certified B Corporation. He brings a regionally grounded, research led perspective focused on fairness, sustainability and supporting practices across the UK and internationally.
Chithra Marsh
Chithra Marsh is a Director at Buttress Architects in Manchester, with over 30 years’ experience across practices of varying size. She leads on community regeneration, social value and equality, diversity and inclusion within the practice, which is both B Corp certified and employee owned. Chithra has served RIBA extensively at regional and national level, including on Council, committees and advisory panels.
Former National Chair of Women in Property, she is recognised for her collaborative leadership style, strong governance experience and ability to build meaningful professional relationships. She is committed to strengthening RIBA as an inclusive, connected and representative professional community.
Jay Morton
Jay Morton is a Director at Bell Phillips Architects, where she works on large scale housing, masterplanning and regeneration projects. Alongside practice, she has spent over a decade shaping housing and built environment policy at local and national level and contributing to public debate.
Jay regularly engages with media, policymakers and professional forums, and hosts the Architects for Change podcast. She serves on design review panels and the steering group for Architects’ Action for Affordable Housing. Known for her clear communication and advocacy, she brings experience in policy influence, public engagement and practice leadership.
Austin Williams
Austin Williams is an architect, academic and writer, and course leader for the Part 3 Professional Practice programme at Kingston School of Art. His career spans practice, education, journalism and research, with experience as a sole practitioner, lead architect, expert witness and author.
Having studied and worked across the UK and internationally, including six years in China, he brings a broad and critical perspective on the profession. Austin is known for his plain spoken approach to issues such as regulation, education, fees and professional support, and advocates for open debate, clearer guidance and stronger engagement with the everyday realities facing architects.
Christopher Brimble, Principal and Director at Arden Kitt Associates in Caerphilly, has been elected unopposed as President of the Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW).
A link to the candidates standing for RIBA Council seats in 2026.
Voting for all seats opens online at 09:00 Monday 15 June and closes at 16:00 on Friday 26 June. Results will be announced on Thursday 2 July.
On Tuesday 9 June, an election debate will be held to allow members to hear from the people running to become RIBA President 2027-2029.
The RIBA President-Elect’s term begins on 1 September 2026, with their two-year term as RIBA President commencing on 1 September 2027.
RIBA President images / information received 210526
Previously on e-architect:
Past RIBA Presidents
Chris Williamson RIBA President
photo courtesy of architects office
Chris Williamson RIBA President
Muyiwa Oki RIBA President
photo © Nicholas Menniss
Muyiwa Oki RIBA President
Location: 66 Portland Place, London W1B 1AD, UK.
Architecture Awards
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RIBA President’s Medals Student Awards Winners
RIBA President’s Medals Student Awards Past Winners
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Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a global professional membership body that serves its members and society in order to deliver better buildings and places, stronger communities and a sustainable environment. Follow @RIBA on Twitter for updates.
Comments / photos for the Chris Williamson RIBA President news page welcome.
