RIBA leadership matters because it shapes who feels represented in the profession. This hustings focused on a simple but important question: what happens when the people doing the work want a stronger voice at the top?
The conversation brought forward Hannah Deacon, Benjamin Champion, Muyiwa Oki and Henry Pelly, each with a different route into the debate around representation, climate action and professional change.
Watch: RIBA President candidates hustings
The hustings brings together candidates discussing representation, climate action and what RIBA leadership should mean for people working in architecture.
Listen: candidate voices and RIBA leadership
The audio version gives the full hustings conversation with the candidates and the wider call for worker representation in architecture leadership.
Why this hustings mattered
The post captured a moment where Architecture Social pushed for a more representative RIBA Presidency. It was not only about one election. It was about whether institutional leadership could better reflect workers, younger professionals and people closer to day-to-day practice.
- Hannah Deacon raised the urgency of zero carbon construction.
- Benjamin Champion brought experience from practice, mentoring and public-facing events.
- Muyiwa Oki connected digital design, EDI leadership and the next generation.
- Henry Pelly brought sustainability, employee ownership and environmental design context.
- The wider theme was representation, not only title or status.
What readers can take from it now
Even when the election moment has passed, the questions remain useful. Who gets heard? Who gets to lead? How do climate commitments become real? How can professional bodies stay connected to the people working through the consequences?
Common mistakes
- Treating professional leadership as distant from everyday working life.
- Only listening to owners and senior leaders.
- Separating climate ambition from practice accountability.
- Assuming representation is symbolic rather than practical.
- Ignoring younger professionals until they leave the conversation.
Architecture Social view
Stephen’s view is that architecture needs more routes for people to be heard before they burn out or leave. Representation is not a side issue when it affects trust, retention, culture and the future of the profession.
Turn professional frustration into a practical voice
If something in the profession needs to change, make the issue specific and visible.
- Name the problem clearly.
- Collect real examples from people affected.
- Connect with others before acting alone.
- Ask what practical change would prove progress.
Next step
Watch or listen to the hustings, then explore more Architecture Social conversations on leadership, representation, careers and community.
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