Tina Paillet, the former head of the United Kingdom and North America for Generali Real Estate, has become the 142nd President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Paillet, who is a Fellow of the Institution, becomes president of the Governing Council, its highest governing body, and started the first week of January. The body, which represents the global surveying profession that can vary in job responsibilities by country, is looking to move on from a turbulent period.
In December, RICS committed to a "top down" review of its structure once again in 2025, as well as to pushing through the conclusions of its "Entry and Asset Review" next year, which aims to ensure the standard of entry to membership as a surveyor remains fit for purpose.
RICS was founded in 1868. It has around 134,000 paying members with annual subscriptions of 539 pounds or about $688. An RICS qualification as a surveyor takes four years and is essential for work as a surveyor or valuer.
In 2022, the institution began implementing the Bichard independent review into its purpose, governance and strategy. The independent review was published in June 2022 with 36 recommendations for its overhaul, citing an "urgent" and "unarguable" need for change.
Paillet is CEO and co-founder of Circotrade, what RICS said is a "technologically-enabled trading platform and futures contract designed to facilitate and unlock the future value of a building’s" materials.
She has 25 years of experience including 12 years developing and leading one of the world’s largest real estate asset managers, Generali Real Esate, with €32 billion euros, or about $35.2 billion, of assets under management. She has overseen global asset management, major development projects and sustainable investing across Europe, the United Kingdom and globally. She also launched Europe’s first green bonds and developed decarbonisation strategies in line with Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance commitments.
A RICS member since 2011, she sat on the RICS Europe World Regional Board for three years before becoming chair of the board in 2017 and then senior vice-president in 2021. The board’s special focus during her term as chair was to prepare members for technological changes, including AI, robotics, and blockchain, as well as new ways of working, and their impacts on cities and commercial property.
She joined the RICS Presidential Team in 2021 and was chair of the Steering Group that developed the RICS Strategy Future Foundations, which set out the goals for the next three years. They are: enhance member value and engagement; attract a diverse next generation; strengthen trust in the profession; lead and influence on sustainability.
Paillet said she will advocate for the whole profession as president and will have a particular focus on sustainability.
She said in a statement: “It is clear that the sector is an essential component in the fight against climate change and for the better protection of our planet’s resources and biodiversity. We are the main facilitator for decarbonising buildings and infrastructure, and for making our cities more resilient.
“Our contribution to the world’s environmental challenges is under scrutiny and this will likely only increase. However, as a profession, we have the opportunity to lead the industry, ensuring we meet these heightened expectations.”
As part of this, the new president plans to drive uptake of the recently launched whole life carbon assessment standard, and is convening a forum that will support the sector to embrace the circular economy.
Paillet replaces Ann Gray in the one-year role. A CoStar video interview with Gray at the MIPIM real estate conference in Cannes last year can be viewed here.