Dear International Chapter Members,

Thank you for all your support and encouragement and for the ensuing warm welcome I have received as incoming Chair. It is a great honour and pleasure for me to serve the Australian Institute of Architects, and specifically the newly formed International Chapter, which currently represents  5% of the total AIA membership.

The vision and the outstanding work that has been done by the individuals and teams who were responsible for creating the International Chapter is commendable and I shall endeavor to ensure that our Councillors and I are worthy of carrying these efforts forward as we take our first seat on National Council. We look forward to working hard together to pave the way for the creation of an exciting new dimension of the Institute.

In my current role as Director of Design at Expo 2020 Dubai, I am part of a 700 strong team delivering to the theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating The Future’ and it is through this lens that I look at my term as Chair as I feel that the great opportunity of the International Chapter is exactly that – to connect the profession and its players to their global counterparts, projects and challenges so that, as architects, we have a voice and are able to meaningfully contribute to global urban, social and architectural transformations.

I look forward to working with all members to create and promote an active and connected global architectural hub.

Warm Regards,

Samantha