The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland has appointed its latest president, and for the first time the new incumbent hails from one of the more niche areas of the profession.

Colin Bray, as chief executive officer of Ordnance Survey Ireland, the national mapping agency, is the first chartered geomatics surveyor to take on presidency of the society.

It’s a departure for the role which has typically been occupied by property and quantity surveyors. Mr Bray has stated one of his priorities will be ensuring that “the different disciplines within the society can work together to effectively manage our built environment”.

With at least five different disciplines among the 5000-strong chartered surveyors society he’ll have his work cut out.

Mapping origins

Mr Bray has been with the OSI for 18 years and leads a team of 230 staff. With a background in technology he has been instrumental in evolving the OSI from its printed mapping origins to today’s dynamic digital mapping technology that is prevalent in all our lives.

In a statement of intent he said: “To remain relevant we must be adopters of technology which can free us up to provide additional and enhanced support to all our stakeholders. Terms such as ‘laser-scanning’ and ‘city and landscape modelling’ will I hope become part of all our professional vocabulary in the immediate future.” Be afraid, be very afraid.