The AIA UK proudly kicked off 2024 with its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Herman Miller Showroom in London on Thursday, January 17. The meeting underscored the Chapter’s commitment to transparent governance and marked a pivotal moment not only to reflect on the accomplishments of 2023, but also to outline the Chapter’s plans for 2024 and beyond.
The 2023 AIA UK President, Gregory Fonseca, AIA, commenced the meeting with a welcome and thank you to Chapter sponsors, followed by an engaging presentation entitled, ‘Design with Impact,’ led by Miller Knoll representative Bertie van Wyck. The audience gained fascinating insights on the latest in workplace design research in the era of remote, office, and hybrid work culture.
Gregory Fonseca, AIA, resumed the podium with a ‘Year in Review’ presentation, which summarised the Chapter's mission and activities in 2023. The year showcased a full calendar of initiatives, including flagship events like the Design Awards and Student Charette. Lunchtime Sustainability Lectures and Movie Nights continued, organised by Mark Breeze and Christopher Musangi, respectively.
Other noteworthy moments of 2023 included a ‘super’ successful ‘Super Saturday’ in Canterbury, organised by Brianne Hamilton, which offered substantial continuing education credits to attendees. The signing ceremony for the US-UK Mutual Recognition Agreement was another important highlight which fostered important relationships between AIA National, NCARB, RIBA, and ARB representatives.
The next portion of the evening focused on 2023 chapter operations in greater detail. The financial health of the chapter was presented by 2023 Treasurer, Alex Miller, AIA. The Treasurer reported that the 2023 budget was closely adhered to and included key sponsorship contributions from Beale & Co. and Iris Ceramica.
The 2023 membership chair, Taylor Rogers, AIA, followed up with the membership highlights. Membership growth was high in 2023 as the AIA UK welcomed 64 new members, bringing the total to 326. Rogers emphasized the importance of updating website directory details for demographic analysis.
A subsequent presentation led by 2022 Secretary Lorraine King, AIA, was conducted in preparation for a vote to approve revisions to the Chapter Bylaws. The initiative to revise the Bylaws was previously approved at the 2023 AGM by vote in response to a memorandum issued by the AIA General Counsel in 2022. The revisions were mainly to organise and clarify the language of the Bylaws and bring them into genuine alignment with the practical ethos of the AIA UK Chapter. The proposed revisions were approved by majority vote.
At the behest of the 2023 President, the AGM then voted to approve the proposed 2024 board slate to ensure AIA UK leadership continuity. Following the vote, the new President, Taylor Rogers, AIA, was officially welcomed into office. Notably, his unique efforts last year led to HMRC approval for tax relief on AIA UK dues, a testament to his proactive approach to enhance member benefits and wider acceptance of the AIA in the UK.
