Jay Morton elected as next RIBA president

Jay Morton has been elected as the next RIBA president after winning a vote of members.

The Bell Phillips director will become president-elect on 1 September 2026 and start her two-year term on the same date in 2027, succeeding current president Chris Williamson.

Morton beat three leadership rivals in the election, BakerBrown Studio founder Duncan Baker-Brown, Buttress Architects director Chithra Marsh and academic Austin Williams. 

She has campaigned to provide a stronger voice for the architecture profession in government, promising to “get architects back in the room where decisions are made”.

Speaking today, 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 organisations, 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.”

Williamson added: “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.”

Morton has pledged to ensure the profession shapes policy on housing, planning and growth and to call for the creation of a national taskforce to drive cross-industry action on sustainability, innovation and reform procurement.

She has also backed the campaign to protect the function of the architect to reinforce the profession’s “role, responsibility and value, particularly in relation to building safety”, echoing similar calls by current RIBA president Chris Williamson.

Morton also supports installing city architects under every regional and city mayor to embed design leadership and to drive “long-term vision, coordination and quality”.

Her election comes seven years after Morton stood as the Labour candidate for Parliament for Chichester in the 2019 general election, winning 15% of the vote.

An active Labour campaigner, Morton has said she combines architectural practice with over a decade in politics at local and national level including leading national housing campaigns and standing as a local councillor.