Architecture chief exits over mystery incident

The president of the Royal Institute of British Architects has stepped down after an undisclosed “serious incident” prompted an investigation by the Charity Commission.

Alan Jones emailed members of the institute’s governing council to say that a “matter had arisen in his personal life” and that he needed to “take some time out”. He added that he was “grateful for the strong support I have from my wife and family”.

According to the Charity Commission, a serious incident is one that could cause harm to a charity’s beneficiaries, staff, volunteers or others; that involves the loss of money or assets, or damage to property; or one that causes harm to a charity’s work or reputation.

The Architects’ Journal disclosed that Mr Jones had been reported to the commission by Kerr Robertson, the institute’s honorary secretary.

Mr Jones, 55, did not elaborate on the nature of the incident but said in his email that he would remain absent for four to six weeks and asked that his privacy was respected. “I appreciate that this comes at a time when there are extraordinary demands on everyone,” he said.

The architect, who lectures at Queen’s University, Belfast, has been in the post for seven months, having won one of the most acrimonious elections in the institute’s history to become the 78th president last September. The campaign was marred by accusations of racism from his main opponent, Elsie Owusu, 67, who claimed the 43,000-strong institute was a “one-party state” where “one white, middle-aged male oligarch hands on power to another”.

Mr Robertson said: “Alan Jones has brought a sensitive matter to our attention which we are investigating and, in line with regulations, we have informed the Charity Commission. It wouldn’t be appropriate for the Riba to comment further at this stage.”