President's Letter - April 2025

President’s Letter

April 2025

 “Plunge into the sublime seas, dive deep, and swim far.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson.  

Belated Happy New Year 2025, from Sydney to Seattle!! As I enter my second year, I honor my pledge to “Reposition” AIA International. My first message of 2025 is about moving forward—just as in diving, we need both rigor and an eye on the horizon to navigate toward the vision I first shared a year ago. It’s about balance: plunging into the depths while anticipating currents and creating new ripples in the months ahead. The future is promising!

I will outline our achievements and upcoming events for Q1 2025 later in this message.

ONWARD

The first step is a revised organization chart with clearly assigned roles to strengthen leadership. A deep dive into our structure led to identifying three key platforms that define our global reach: the Global Knowledge Community, the Global Mentorship Program, and Global Membership.

REVISED ORGANIZATON CHART 

A leader’s role is to secure the future. The “Reposition” initiative began with a revised organization chart designed to ensure long-term sustainability, leadership succession, and financial health. This framework strengthens core operations, enhances management, and amplifies our Values, Visibility, and Voice. The response has been overwhelmingly positive.

Key objectives of the revised chart:

  1. Empower leaders in their assigned roles.

  2. Clarify leadership structure by grouping responsibilities.

  3. Establish a clear pipeline for leadership succession.

  4. Define roles—President focuses on external matters; Vice-President on internal operations.

  5. Expand the At-Large Director’s role and foster cross-functional strategic committees.

DEEP DIVE

We are diving deeper, exploring new opportunities across three exemplary initiatives:

  • GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE COMMUNITY  – AIA International is a hub of global architectural knowledge. Our conferences showcase our collective expertise, elevating our brand and expanding our reach.

    • Spring Conference 2025 – "Trailblazing Architecture" (March 20-22, 2025)
      A record-breaking 1,310 registrants from 80 countries and 20 time zones! My heartfelt thanks to all speakers, partners, sponsors, and members who made this possible. Special appreciation to Genie, Xenia, and Megha for leading the charge.

    • Global Architecture Symposium at AIA 2025 – "Shaping the Future of Design Across Borders" (June 4, 2025, Boston). A one-day symposium exploring how global collaborations shape tomorrow’s architecture.

    • AIA International Conference 2025 – "The Art within Architecture" (October 9-11, 2025, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

  • GLOBAL MENTORSHIP PROGRAM – This nine-month program pairs emerging architects with seasoned mentors worldwide, fostering professional growth through virtual sessions. Now in its second year, it continues to shape the next generation of global leaders. Kudos to Michelle Montgomery, AIA, for leading this initiative. Kickoff: April 28, 2025.

  • GLOBAL MEMBERSHIP

    • New International Tiered Membership Pricing – AIA has introduced a globally inclusive pricing model for International Associate AIA members, making membership more accessible worldwide. Learn more here. This is being applied across AIA International's territory, based on World Bank income ranking - see details here. 

    • Expanding Our Global Reach – We are exploring new Section formations in the Caribbean and South Asia to expand our membership base and sponsorship opportunities. Sections focus on membership activities and sponsorship outreach within the Section’s territory. Read about existing AIA International Sections here.

SERVICE & LEADERSHIP

Effective January 2025, we welcome new and returning leaders in key leadership roles:

  1. ExCom Secretary – Stephanie Kinnick, AIA

  2. Strategic Council Representatives – Thierry Paret, FAIA

  3. International Chapter Representatives – Dora Ng, AIA; Sergio Accatino, Int’l Assoc. AIA; Johnny Fu, AIA; Yasushi Nishimura, AIA; Tim Winstanley, AIA; Mark Liu, Int’l Assoc. AIA; Taylor Rogers, AIA.

  4. College of Fellows Reps – Giancarlo Alhadeff, FAIA. 

  5. Adjunct Directors – Scott Gold, AIA; Lester Korzilius

  6. Section Representatives – Jorge Arditti, AIA

  7. Country Representatives – Florence Nyole, Int’l Assoc. AIA; David Majekoduni, Int’l Assoc. AIA; Jason Ouyang, AIA; Manilius Garber, Int’l Assoc. AIA 

Thank you all for stepping up in service!

ACHIEVEMENTS & UPCOMING EVENTS

AIA Int’l delegation at AIA Leadership Summit 2025, Washington DC 

With Evelyn Lee, FAIA at AIA Leadership Summit 2025, Washington DC. 

🔹 AIA Leadership Summit – Washington, DC (Feb 24-26). AIA Int’l representation from AIA Int’l, AIA UK, AIA Continental Europe, Rep.to Strategic Council and candidate for 2025-2027 At-Large Director, Adam Pantelimon, Int’l Assoc. AIA.  
🔹 AIA International Spring Conference 2025 – Online (March 20-22)
🔹 Regional Lectures & Events – AIA Middle East (Open Spaces: Design, Performance and Sustainability) , AIA UK (Understanding UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard), AIA Japan (Book Talk: Making of the Critical House), AIA Taipei & AIA South Korea (Material Innovation and Spatial Experience), and more.
🔹 Upcoming In-Person Events – Ireland (Genius Loci, April 11-13), Tokyo (Azabudai Hills, April 26), Barcelona (May 20-22).

Let’s build on these incredible achievements! 

CONCLUSION

May your 2025 be filled with blue skies and boundless opportunities.

See you by the waterfront in Boston at AIA 2025!


Yew Kee Cheong, FAIA, MSIA 
2024-2025 AIA International President

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