The next RIBA president will take her role as president-elect from 1 September 2026 and take office for two years from 1 September 2027
As new RIBA president, Jay Morton will succeed Chris Williamson, and will sit on the RIBA Board of Trustees.
She was elected by vote from the representative body of the RIBA Council, beating Duncan Baker-Brown, Chithra Marsh, and Austin Williams.
Jay has vast experience as an architect
Jay is a director at Bell Phillips Architects, and has worked on large scale housing projects, master planning, and regeneration projects. She also had a decade experience in shaping housing and built environment policy at a local and national level, and contributing to public debate. She regularly engages with media, policymakers, and professional forums, as well as being a host of the Architects for Change podcast.
Furthermore, Jay has served on design review panels and the steering group for Architects’ Action for Affordable Housing.
Jay Morton said: “It is an absolute honour to be elected President-elect of the RIBA. I want to thank everyone who engaged with the campaign, and to all who voted.
“I want to reach out and collaborate with all of you, from small practice to large organisation, across the UK and globally. We have an amazing network, and together we can raise our profile, increase our agency, and share the value of our truly wonderful profession.
“I am looking forward to working with you all. I will work tirelessly, and I will keep banging the drum for our profession.”
RIBA president (2025-27), Chris Williamson, said: “Congratulations to our President-Elect, Jay. I look forward to working together to build on our shared commitment to architecture, our members and the public good.”
RIBA fights to improve the profession
In May, RIBA began calls for new legislation to ensure that only chartered professionals that can demonstrate competence are allowed to undertake work to approve building sign off.
This is due to the gaps within England’s safety regime, leading to designs being submitted to planning and building sign off being completed without any competence checks being made.
Chris Williamson said: “Right now, anyone can submit a planning or a building regulations application, without being required to prove they are competent. That is a serious gap in the system.
“Our proposals would end that by making sure only properly competent chartered professionals can take responsibility for the work that keeps people safe, healthy and secure.”
The proposed new law would:
- Restrict key tasks to demonstrably competent chartered professionals
- Establish a Built Environment Council to oversee standards of existing chartered bodies and enforcement
- Introduce criminal penalties for unqualified individuals carrying out regulated work or misusing professional titles
- Standardise clear and accessible routes for public complaints and enforcement
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