HONG KONG, July 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Louise Brooke-Smith becomes President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Louise is the first female President in the Institution's 146 year history. During her year-long presidency from 1 Jul 2014 to 30 Jun 2015, Louise will focus on three core areas: diversity, Africa and her professional specialisms, planning and land economics.
Louise Brooke-Smith, RICS President, commenting on her diversity plans for the year, said: "Chartered Surveying is a globally recognised profession, and we must ensure that it is open to all, whatever their background, or gender. We are a proud industry, but have lagged behind others in terms of making the most of a diverse workforce. That's why I'm delighted that RICS 'Surveying the Future' campaign will be a pillar of my presidential term and will help drive change across industry to ensure we attract and retain the very best talent."
On being the first female president in the Institution's history, she added: "I have been elected on my individual merits and not because of my gender. I am extremely proud that it's me."
Louise has worked in the industry for nearly 30 years and is a Director of Brooke Smith Planning, a planning and development consultancy she established in Birmingham, United Kingdom in 1994. She is also a Visiting Fellow at Sheffield Hallam University, UK and holds an Honorary Doctorate for services to Surveying from Wolverhampton University, UK.
Alongside her presidency of RICS, Louise will continue to be involved with the Birmingham based planning and development consultancy, Brooke Smith Planning.
RICS accredits over 118,000 qualified professionals across the globe in land, real estate, construction and infrastructure.
