The RIBA has been influential in my career. I want to do the same for this and future generations.

Andrew Weston and I met at Leicester Polytechnic and in 1985 we put all our competition entries together and were chosen for the 1985 RIBA 40 under 40 exhibition. President Michael Manser and his wife Jose encouraged us to start Weston Williamson and convinced us we could match the salaries at Michael Hopkins and Richard Rogers where we had worked. It was a daunting prospect but we were enthused to try. I owe a lot to the RIBA which now needs new impetus, new ideas, new energy.

The world faces real challenges of urbanisation and climate change and architects need to play a more influential role. My own career has largely been associated with attracting people away from fossil fuelled cars to more sustainable and equitable forms of safe, efficient, well designed public transport - whilst creating polycentric cities beneficial to the environment.

The world also faces a year of important elections and although the RIBA President does not, rightly, have as much power and influence as previously it is an important opportunity to enhance and promote our wonderful profession.