RICS global Mentor of the Year 2016 announced

Anil Singh Rana is the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Mentor of the Year 2016.

Commended by RICS judges for his passion for going above and beyond to support and encourage the next generation of professionals while maintaining development of his own successful career, Rana has helped candidates to realise their potential through mentoring and nurturing talent, imparting the values of RICS and the vast range of opportunities available to RICS professionals.

Although based in the UK, Rana has managed to still effectively support candidates for the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) in his home country of Mauritius, where he previously worked as a consultant, academic and contractor, assisting RICS Africa in promoting and raising the standards of the profession.

Pinnacle of his career

Says Rana, “With RICS being the world's leading professional status in land, real estate, infrastructure and construction, winning this award has marked the pinnacle of my career. I am humbled and privileged to win such a distinguished award and more importantly, to represent Mauritius and Africa on an international platform.

“The RICS qualification has enabled me to become an international volunteer mentor for RICS APC candidates across continents, using my own initiative to increase awareness and the significant benefits of being a member of RICS. I have had the opportunity to mentor APC candidates on different pathways in Australia, Mauritius and South Africa in what is today a more interconnected and globalised environment than ever before.

“In a technology-based internet society, despite the time differences, communication through various technological applications such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Viber, WebEx and Skype has never been easier as support can now be provided via instant communication.

“Mentoring people through this process is extremely satisfying. Time permitting I would like to mentor more RICS APC candidates nationally and internationally, particularly where support is almost non-existent.”

Ethical values

A passionate enthusiast of the built environment and a global ambassador for RICS for more than a decade, it was a watershed moment when in 2014 Rana became a Fellow of RICS aged 35 – at that time the youngest ever fellow in Africa.

He now works for one of the fastest growing and emerging multidisciplinary practices in London, Capital Property & Construction Consultants, where he started as a graduate.

Says Rana: “Never before has the profession seen clients demanding greater transparency and competency and trustworthy professionals. RICS has helped me reinforce those ethical values to ensure clients obtain the best possible advice and in the same vein, provide a service to the highest professional and technical standards.

“The industry is always evolving at an unprecedented pace and there has been a paradigm shift in increased communication, integration, innovation and efficiency, with collaboration and ethics being at the heart of this.”

Unique technical challenges and opportunities

He adds, “My passion for the profession, knowledge sharing and uncompromisingly giving back remain at the forefront of my surveying and project management duties. My advice to young people starting out and looking for a rewarding career is that the construction industry has a place for everyone with the right attitude, interest, hard work and dedication.

“In addition, the construction industry is one of the best industries to be in due to its unique technical challenges and opportunities because every building or project brings its own complexities and team dynamics. The networking opportunities on a global scale are immense, particularly if you are a member of RICS. Equally, it is an opportunity to make real changes to people’s lives by shaping the environment in and around them.”