RICS UAE Board Annual Magazine 2010-11

RICS matrics – What’s it all about?
Samuel Morris MRICS
The official definition, taken from the RICS website is:
‘RICS matrics is for students, trainees and all those with less than 10 years post qualification. We provide valuable
support and networking opportunities for all involved and best of all, membership to RICS matrics is free. RICS matrics
was created to look after the interests of members entering or not long in the profession of surveying. RICS matrics
believes in the ability to shape the future. For this, it provides a network, support and voice for its members, and is
a source of vigour for the surveying profession. RICS matrics is youthful, irreverent, idealist, challenging, nurturing,
vibrant. RICS matrics enables its members to grow and feel like and integral part of the wider RICS. As such RICS
matrics is the lifeblood of the surveying profession.’
So, as you can see from the above, RICS matrics covers a lot of genres!
Already a great success in the UK, RICS matrics was first implemented in the UAE by Jenna Kitchingham
MRICS at the start of 2009. During the UAE launch year, RICS matrics successfully held a number of social/
networking evenings, as well as the Middle East Ski Dubai Challenge, and RICS matrics was responsible for the
Annual Dinner in 2008 & 2009.
When I was appointed as Chairman in January 2010 I knew that I had some big boots to fill following the
successful launch. I was both excited and a little nervous, as I was conscious & determined that RICS matrics
must continue to grow and build on the achievements of the launch year.
2010 started with a meeting to elect the UAE RICS matrics Board for the year and to decide on a planned
strategy and list of events and ideas for 2010, as well as to ensure we continued the good work organising CPD
events that had been undertaken by Richard Begbey in 2009.
Following the meeting, the main Board positions and roles were allocated as shown below -
Samuel Morris Chairman RICS matrics UAE, Annual Dinner, Ski Event, Cheese & Wine Evening and
APC Assessor Training
Charlotte John Vice Chair Abu Dhabi, Cityscape Networking Evening
Elliot Lewis Vice Chair Dubai, Annual Dinner
Grant McIntosh Networking Evening, Dubai
Richard Begbey APC Training and Annual Dinner
Simon Kennedy Football Tournament
Richard Scarth Quiz night, Dubai
Richard Angel Quiz night, Dubai
Other active RICS matrics members in 2010 were Craig Gibson, Clarke Morton-Shepherd, David Armstrong &
Joe Morris. Also many thanks for the support of those who attended the Board meetings and events in both
Abu Dhabi and Dubai, noticeably, Alden Holden, William Dewsnap, & William Innes.
After some lively discussions (and vetoing some wilder suggestions, such as skydiving, a 6 day desert
endurance race, and para-sailing!) the RICS matrics Board managed to narrow down the 2010 itinerary to a
core group of proposals.
The group continued to organised CPD training, finding both willing lecturers & cost effective venues in both
Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and alongside this a number of RICS matrics members enrolled onto the APC Assessor
training courses. Facebook & LinkedIn accounts were established and used as a successful medium to
communicate with local members, concerns and recommendations raised were then communicated to the main
RICS UAE Board.
More than 50 members attended the RICS Cityscape drinks in Abu Dhabi at the start of the year, and we also
held the inaugural RICS UAE football tournament with over 100 members attending. A Cheese & Wine evening
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
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