Cooke & Arkwright

Robert Knight Award for Lifetime Achievement

04/08/09

A Welsh chartered surveyor has been given an inaugural lifetime achievement after 30 years of dedication to the industry.  The first annual Robert Knight Award was presented to Jeremy Rawlins, 53, of Cowbridge, who is held in high esteem in the property industry by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in Wales.

The Award was presented by the Welsh Surveyors Trust, run by the RICS Wales Council. The Trust was set up last year to celebrate and encourage achievement and active involvement by chartered surveyors in their profession in Wales.

Michael Lawley, chair of the RICS Wales Council and managing director of Cooke & Arkwright, said: “The Trust was set up at a difficult time for property but this has made it even more important to reward the ongoing hard work and efforts within the industry.

“The Robert Knight Award is the first award for lifetime achievement by a chartered surveyor in Wales. The annual award recognises a chartered surveyor who has made an outstanding contribution to the world of property in Wales or the chartered surveying profession in Wales over many years, adding to the status and profile of the profession.”

Robert Knight was a leading chartered surveyor and business figure in Wales for more than 30 years raising the profile of Wales within the UK property market.  A director of Cooke & Arkwright, he also held public appointments on the boards of Land Authority for Wales and UWIC and was a former High Sheriff.  He was an exemplar of a lifetime achiever in the property sector in Wales. He was the first RICS Wales Council Chairman up until his early death five years ago.

Mr Rawlins, a partner at Rawlins and Madley, was presented the award by Robert’s wife Susan at a ceremony held at the RICS Wales headquarters in Cardiff. 

Mr Rawlins said: “I was delighted, a little surprised and extremely honoured to be the first recipient of this award. I had the privilege of working with Robert Knight and serving on many RICS committees with him, he is someone I have always held in the very highest regard.

“This is the very first award by the Welsh Surveyors Trust and I think it is important that Robert’s name be honoured in this way as well as recognising people’s involvement and commitment to the RICS and the property industry as a whole.”

Mr Rawlins has been an active and committed member of the RICS all of his working life. He joined the South Wales Junior Organisation in 1979, and after qualifying in 1981 became chairman four years later. He later became Honorary Secretary and Rural Branch Chairman of the South Wales Branch before taking the role of Vice Chairman to Robert in 1999.  At the core of the RICS, Mr Rawlins has been an elected member of the Wales Council from its foundation and spent eight years as elected Welsh member of the International Governing Council of the RICS and is still a member of the RICS Nominations Committee.

Mr Lawley continued: “The high profile positions that Jeremy has held are indicative of the high esteem with which he is regarded within the industry nationally and internationally. His commitment of more than 30 years to his profession has been tireless and in a modest efficient way he has reached the highest levels within the profession. This award will be another string to Jeremy’s bow and one which pays tribute to his continued endeavours within the Welsh property industry.”

Pictured from left: Mary Ann Hale (Susan Knight’s daughter); Susan Knight; Michael Lawley; Jeremy and Sarah Rawlins

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