RICS boss to exit following damning financial scandal report

RICS has confirmed that Sean Tomkins will exit the organisation following Alison Levitt QC's uncompromising report into its governance.

sean tomkins rics

RICS boss Sean Tomkins (pictured) is to exit the organisation, it has been confirmed but will not receive an ‘ex gratia’ payment other than his notice period.

The 55-year-old has been chairman of the surveyors’ trade body since 2010 and before that was its CEO from 2002 onwards.

He was in charge during the period in 2018/19 when a group of directors were eased out of the organisation after they flagged up concerns about RICS’ internal accounting procedures in relation to treasury management, following an audit by BDO.

Tomkins’ and the RICS governing council later agreed to appoint Alison Levitt QC to look into the scandal and her report is due out this lunchtime.

Governance scandal

The report was ordered to complete an independent examination on the dismissal of the four directors in November 2019, but Tompkins’ expected departure from the organisation would indicate that it will not paint a flattering picture of the organisation’s conduct during the scandal.

Other members of the senior team have also exited in recent months include MD Matthew Howell and CFO Violetta Parylo.

A meeting to present the findings is due to be chaired by Nick Maclean chair of Governing Council steering group for the review, and Alison Levitt QC, the author of the report, which has been delayed twice.

Tompkins is also a board director at the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors and a NED at a Norfolk housing association.

Read more about the now published Levitt inquiry.


What's your opinion?

Back to top button