Home >> Chief Executive

On 24th February 2005, Raymond Young (Chair of Architecture and Design Scotland) announced the appointment of the organisation’s first Chief Executive, Sebastian Tombs, who had been Chief Executive/Secretary of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) since 1995.

Sebastian Tombs is a Chartered Architect who worked in Philadelphia, USA before settling in Scotland in 1975. His experience includes working in private practice, a community Housing Association, the Housing Corporation and Edinburgh District Council Housing Department. Prior to taking up his position at A+DS, he had worked for the RIAS since 1986, where he was instrumental in the adoption of a new Charter and a partnership agreement with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA); initiated the Accreditation Schemes for Building Conservation and Sustainable Building Design; supported and encouraged interdisciplinary working through the Urban Design Alliance (UDAL) and encouraged sketch competitions for members, students and schoolchildren in association with the annual RIAS Conventions.

Sebastian was founder (and is a past Chair) of the Scottish Ecological Design Association, and the Association of Planning Supervisors (now the Association for Project Safety).