The chief executive of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is set to step down, Property Week can reveal.
It is understood that Sean Tompkins is in advanced discussions to resign as boss following a governance scandal that has engulfed the crisis-hit body.
In recent months Tompkins’ reputation has been battered by both a bonus row and a governance scandal.
The move comes ahead of a virtual press conference tomorrow into the findings of an independent review into the institution.
The report, which will be published at noon on Thursday 9 September, was commissioned to focus on the dismissal of four directors in November 2019 after they raised the alarm about the findings of a 2018 BDO financial audit.
The conference will be led by Nick Maclean, chair of Governing Council steering group for the review, and Alison Levitt QC, the author of the report.
It is the latest in a wave of high-profile departures at RICS in recent months.
In August, managing director Matthew Howell left the under-fire body to take up a position at the British Medical Association (BMA).
In June, chief operating officer Violetta Parylo resigned unexpectedly.
Headhunters at leadership advisory firm Saxton Bampfylde are also in the late stages of finding a successor to Chris Brooke, who took over as interim chair of the GC after serving as RICS president in 2018-2019.
A RICS spokesperson said: “The Governing Council of RICS will be publishing the independent review conducted by Alison Levitt QC at noon on Thursday September 9th. We will be holding a press conference at that time, to be addressed by Nick Maclean, Chair of the Governing Council’s steering committee for the review, and Alison Levitt QC, which can also be viewed by members and RICS employees. We will be not commenting further until then”.
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