RICS in Northern Ireland

Meet the Board

Martin Doherty

MRICS, Programme Delivery Manager, Belfast City Council

Martin is the current Chair of the RICS Northern Ireland board. I’m a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with over 25 years’ experience in the construction industry with private and public sector experience. I’ve been involved with RICS in Northern Ireland now for over 15 years, initially with RICS Matrics, as an APC Assessor/Chairman, as a member of local Construction professional group, and now on the Northern Ireland Regional Board. My first 15 years in the industry was as partner with chartered quantity surveyors, Terry Doherty Partnership. I have subsequently spent the last 10 years in local government with Belfast City Council with responsibility and accountability for leading and managing teams in the delivery of projects and programmes. I am passionate for surveying as a profession, and the opportunities that it can create but also influence across several different industry sectors. I find therefore that being a board member gives me an opportunity to network and influence the direction of the RICS and promote the profession especially for the next generation of surveyors.

Brian Reid Bsc, MBA, FRICS, FCMI, CMgr

Regional Development Director, e.surv Chartered Surveyors

Brian is the current Vice Chair of the RICS Northern Ireland board. I have always had a passion for Residential Surveying and am privileged to be the Regional Development Director of the largest firm of residential surveyors in the UK. Other industry commitments include Board Member and Company Secretary of NB Housing and Valuation member of the Northern Ireland Valuation Tribunal. Joining RICS NI Regional Board has provided the opportunity to promote the profession and residential surveying within the province and encourage others to consider a career, in an often-overlooked field where the rewards and job satisfaction can outweigh the perceived glamour of other disciplines. Residential Surveying- meeting the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Andrea Forsythe MRICS

Principal Quantity Surveyor, Northern Ireland Civil Service

I have always been an active member in the RICS. I was MATRICS chairman for two years, an APC Doctor and attended construction group meetings. As a female in this profession, I have always felt a responsibility to promote the profession to females, who are still disproportionately under-represented in Quantity Surveying. Although being a female in a male dominated profession has had its challenges over the years, I absolutely love Quantity Surveying and would highly recommend to anyone who is considering it as a career choice. It was this passion for diversity that drove me to joining the RICS NI Board, I felt that the RICS Board would be a great resource and platform.

Ronan O’Hara BSc MSc MBA FRICS

CEO Crown Estate Scotland & RICS UK & Ireland World Regional Board Member, Strategic Investment Board Ltd

As a Chartered Surveyor, I have been privileged to lead major investment programmes, manage, and maintain priceless historic estates, deliver digital transformation, and drive innovation and growth through some of the UK’s largest and most progressive public sector organisations. I was drawn to the surveying profession because it allows me to combine my interest in business, property, people, and the natural environment, in a way that no other profession can. And I have to say, I have not been disappointed. I am particularly interested in promoting the value and benefit of non-cognate routes to membership, diversity equality and inclusion, and sustainable development. Working with the Board provides an opportunity to inspire the next generation, advance sustainable practices across the UK and Ireland, and promote an amazing profession that combines investment, property, land, construction, finance, law, data analytics and sustainability – all with a view to delivering financial and non-financial value to both our customers and wider society.

Carolyn Brady BSc (Hons) MRICS

Partner, Rider Levett Bucknall

I’ve always had a strong passion for the surveying industry and am a keen advocate of the profession. I currently undertake several voluntary roles within industry including acting as a STEM Ambassador, APC Counsellor, and Mentor. I’m also an APC Assessor on the RICS Building Surveying Pathway and have assess ed for various regions throughout the UK. In 2020, I was privileged to be nominated and shortlisted for ‘Mentor of the Year’ in the Young Surveyor of the Year Awards. Being a member of the RICS Northern Ireland Regional Board allows me to fulfil further goals in promoting the profession, specifically Building Surveying. It’s incredibly rewarding knowing that I can help inspire the next generation of surveyors, whilst contributing to the ongoing success of the RICS within the local region.

Garrett O’Hare MRICS

Managing Director, Bradley NI

Garrett is currently Managing Director of Bradley NI Chartered Surveyors and Estate Agents with offices in Newry, Warrenpoint, Rostrevor and Belfast. A Chartered Surveyor, MBA graduate and Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, Garrett has a proven track record of accomplishments in business management, strategic planning, business development and growth. Garrett has extensive charity and voluntary sector Board and governance experience following appointments with The Prince’s Trust, Giving Northern Ireland, The USPCA and as Commodore of the Carlingford Lough Yacht Club. Garrett is particularly interested in assisting with the growth of the surveying profession, with a strong focus on inclusion and diversity.

Oran Cleary

Associate Director, Infrastructure, Turner & Townsend

“Oran is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with experience working on a range of high-profile infrastructure projects in the UK, Ireland, and Canada. Oran has been active in supporting the next generation of Quantity Surveyors through the APC process, acting as an APC Assessor, Counsellor, and mentor for APC candidates on the RICS Quantity Surveying pathway. Joining the RICS NI Regional Board has provided the opportunity to promote the Quantity Surveying profession as well as play a key role in developing and implementing RICS initiatives within the region which support members and the wider industry.”

Chris Kenton FRICS

Product Innovation Surveyor, e.surv Chartered Surveyors

Chris works as a Product Innovation Surveyor with e.surv Chartered Surveyors with responsibility for Home Surveys. In addition to this work, Chris is also involved in the development of professional valuation and sustainability products. Chris’s work therefore covers a multitude of areas. Having worked in private practice in both England and Northern Ireland over the last 30 years, Chris has a considerable wealth of experience ranging across both residential and commercial valuation and the survey of residential property, with particular emphasis on historic and significant buildings. A Fellow of the RICS and a Valuation Member of the Northern Ireland Valuation Tribunal, Chris has also served as an occasional Guest Lecturer for Ulster University on Level 2 Survey Reports and Building Pathology. In addition to this, Chris sits as an APC Assessor and Chair and is currently working with the RICS to improve the APC Assessment process for Northern Ireland. Chris also chairs the RICS NI Housing & Residential Insight Group. In his limited spare time, Chris likes to play guitar and indulge his passion for landscape photography.

Andrew Cunningham BSc (Hons) MRICS MIHEEM

Head of Estates Development Services, Southern Health & Social Care Trust

Having qualified as a Chartered Quantity Surveyor in a busy Construction Consultancy, within the private sector, I diversified into Project Management and gained a broad range of experience across the Education, Healthcare, Commercial, Judicial and Residential Sectors of the Construction Industry In my current role as Head of Estates Development Services for the Southern Health & Social Care Trust, I have responsibility for the delivery of Construction Projects, Minor Works, Term Service Contracts, and Energy, Sustainability & Waste Joining the RICS NI Regional Board is an opportunity to promote the Construction Healthcare Division, and champion our Professional Disciplines which provide so much expertise in this sector."

Tim Nelson MRICS

Head of Estates Strategy, Sodexo

Tim is currently Head of Estates Strategy with Sodexo, responsible for the delivery of strategic asset management services for various clients across the UK and Ireland. He has acquired extensive experience working across the public, private and third sector in a variety of appointments in an executive and non-executive capacity. A strong advocate for the profession, Tim has recently established a talent academy offering placement and graduate opportunities to students across Northern Ireland and through the regional board aims to continue to promote the sector and champion the value of RICS with current and future members.

Gail Bennett MRICS

District Valuer, Land and Property Services

I have over 35 years experience, working as a Chartered Surveyor in the public sector, principally as a rating valuer. Over that time, I have seen the industry change from a very male dominated profession to a much more inclusive and diverse workplace. I will continue to encourage the profession as a career for all. I have acted as an APC Menor, Counsellor and Assessor for candidates in the RICS Valuation Pathway. I also have responsibility for delivering in house training to both APC candidates and qualified valuers. I have extensive board experience, both through my role as District Valuer and in the voluntary sector. I believe being a board member will allow me to promote the profession and encourage members, particularly those employed in the public sector, to give something back by become more involved with RICS NI

Philip McClay MRICS

Deputy Director – Department of Health NI, Health Estates Directorate, Health Estates Directorate Department of Health

I’m a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with over 25 years experience in the construction industry. I have gained considerable experience in the procurement and cost management of construction projects having worked in consulting, sub-contracting and most recently public sector bodies. I am an APC Assessor and am the current External Examiner for the BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management course at Ulster University. I am passionate about improving standards and look forward to working with RICS NI Board members to improve member engagement levels with the events and opportunities afforded to us as RICS members.

Mark Johnston MRICS

Chartered Surveyor, O'Connor Kennedy Turtle

I am the current Regional Chair of the RICS Matrics for Northern Ireland. Matrics allows me to be actively involved within the future of surveying within Northern Ireland and the wider UK. Through Matrics I have been able to become a STEM Ambassador and carry out various schools and university visits to promote the profession. Since becoming a member, I also trained as an APC Councillor and assessor for the RICS Commercial Property pathway. Being a member of the RICS Northern Ireland Regional gives me the opportunity me make a difference within the surveying profession within Northern Ireland.

Member Engagement Lead

Lisa O’Connor

Member Engagement Lead Northern Ireland, RICS

I have worked at RICS NI since September 2017, all my roles have included engaging with our Northern Ireland (NI) members at some level and throughout all of this I have enjoyed connecting with them on many of different occasions. My role as engagement manager is to be a trusted ambassador who oversees interaction with the RICS NI regional board whilst building and maintaining a network of influential, engaged, and valued members across Northern Ireland. I welcome the challenges that come with this role but, in order for me to be successful I really need all of the NI members to engage in open and honest conversations with me to improve how RICS NI support, value and engage with them moving forward. My hope is to build trust and re-engage with our existing members and develop strong relationships with our new one. I am very passionate about my work with the NI members and am eager to continue working to assist them in being part of the change at RICS NI. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for this globally recognised professional body and its amazing NI members.

Connect with members

The myRICS Community has been designed to create fantastic networking opportunities and to be the main hub for all built environment professionals. Find links to standards and guidance, consultations and insight papers, as well as discussion forums to connect with other professionals working in your field.