Josh Pater - New IAS Chair

Welcome to 2025. We are nearly a month into the New Year and my new role of Chairman. It has been a fast start for me and I hope that the large number of requirements circulating in the market place alongside new developments coming online this year provide us all opportunities to work collaboratively across the sector. Logistics and Industrial continues to dominate the property and financial media, a far cry from when I first joined the IAS in 2017.

As per my welcome speech at the Christmas dinner, I want to take the time to thank my predecessor Daniel Harness. We joined the committee together in 2014 and we are all grateful for his stewardship over the past two years. I am also delighted (and somewhat relieved!) that Heather Harvey-Wood accepted my offer to join me as Vice Chair. Heather has been a long serving member of the National committee and am grateful for her assistance over the coming years.

Looking forwards, I am excited to be custodian for a society that now numbers almost 1,500 members. We also have an expanded client membership and I am excited to engage with you all at our various events over the next two years.

To those of you that continue to support the Society, through sponsorship, attendance at events or simply by sharing feedback and making suggestions I would like to extend my thanks. My “door” will always remain open and I look forward to continuing to working to improve our offering to all of our members.

I am also delighted to confirm our chosen charity for 2025. At our first committee meeting, we confirmed our partner as Give Help Share, asocial action charity providing children across the country with the nutritious food many take for granted but tragically a growing number struggle to afford.

Finally, we are shortly to call for new committee nominees from our Agency Members. I cannot recommend this opportunity more highly. The National committee is an excellent opportunity to shape the future of the Society and ensure that we continue to evolve and provide the best experience for our members. I look forward to seeing new faces at our next gathering.

On behalf of the entire committee I wish all of our members continued success and a (belated) wish for a happy, healthy and prosperous2025.

Best regards

Josh