A young Cardiff surveyor has won a UK award for his achievements in the construction industry after beating tough competition from all over the UK at the 2017 RICS Matrics Young Surveyor of the Year Awards, held in London.
Chris Payne, a Senior Building Surveyor at Faithful+Gould in Cardiff won the Building Surveying category accolade at the annual awards, which recognise and celebrate the most inspirational young surveying professionals – aged 35 and under in the UK – helping to shape and improve our local communities.
Judges said of Chris:
“This is clearly someone who finds solutions, with great innovation shown. Chris’s client-first approach, in particular committing to developing his personal education to provide greater value for his client, and knack for innovation, are highly commendable.”
On nominating Chris, Neil Brierly, Operations Director – Wales and South West at Faithful+Gould, said:
“Whilst Chris’s day-to-day work is always undertaken with a focus on rigorous quality, exceptional professionalism and keen eye for detail, it is perhaps the extra qualities that he displays which set him apart. The very act of undertaking considerable study into technology and app development in his own time, alongside regular working deadlines, and whilst studying to successfully pass his RICS APC (Assessment of Professional Competence) to gain chartered status, stands as testament to his work ethic to go above and beyond the call of regular duty.”
The nine category awards* up for grabs on the night covered a variety of surveying sectors and disciplines, and five females and four males won the accolades. Chris was the only candidate from Wales to win a category award, with others from the East Midlands, London, North East, North West and Scotland.
Speaking on Chris’s award win, Lynn Robinson, RICS Regional Director said:
“Each award winner is selected on their achievements around client satisfaction, innovation, successful collaboration and acting as an ambassador for the surveying profession. Chris is a shining example of a young surveyor who is going above and beyond in all these areas. He is truly a credit to his team, clients and an exemplary role model for the wider profession.”
There is also an accolade for the overall ‘UK Young Surveyor of the Year’, and for the first time in the history of the awards – which launched four years ago – the winner of this highly-esteemed title got to take home a brand new Volvo V40 D2 on a 23-month lease, courtesy of principal sponsors of the awards, Santander Consumer Finance.
The car and title went to an advisor of channel 4’s Grand Designs TV series; Jonathan Manns, Head of London Planning at Colliers International in London for his extensive work and commitment to improving London’s built environment, and specifically the city’s housing crisis.
David Keddie MRICS, Chair of RICS Matrics UK – a networking and support group for young surveyors – headed up this year’s judging panel.
He commented:
“The standard of entries this year was outstanding, and testament to the surveying profession’s renowned high standards and inspirational high achieving role models. It is wonderful to see that the winners are pretty much an equal split of male and female, across most regions of the UK, and this further demonstrates the breadth of rewarding careers and opportunities available for all in the industry.”
The winners were announced in front of over 350 guests at a black-tie ceremony on 17 November at the Hilton London Bankside Hotel, and were hosted byTV personality, Saira Khan.
More information on each of the category winners is available here.
