buildingSMART International Announces Retirement of Patrick MacLeamy and Appoints Ian Howell as New Chair
London, 23rd June 2023 – buildingSMART International (bSI) has announced the retirement of Patrick MacLeamy as Chair of the International Board of Directors after an illustrious tenure of 19 years. The organization revealed this significant leadership transition during its’ annual International Council Meeting held in Brdo, Slovenia, on June 20th, 2023. MacLeamy's retirement marks the end of an era, while bSI welcomes Ian Howell as the incoming Chair to help steer the organization's future growth. MacLeamy will continue to advise the Board as Chairman Emeritus.
Patrick MacLeamy has been an instrumental figure in the development and growth of bSI since its inception. Over the last few years his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment have propelled the organization to the forefront of the global building and infrastructure industry. Under MacLeamy's guidance, bSI has fostered collaboration, created open standards and services, and championed digital innovation that is transforming the way the industry operates.
Some of Patrick’s major achievements include:
- ISO certification of our flagship IFC standard
- Development of key buildingSMART Services, including Software Certification, Professional Certification and Use Case Management
- The establishment of 30 national buildingSMART Chapters
- Enduring partnerships with other international standards bodies
- Expansion of buildingSMART’s work into nine different industry Domains, spanning buildings, infrastructure, transport and more
Reflecting on his decision to step down, Patrick MacLeamy expressed his gratitude and excitement for the future of bSI. He said, "It has been an incredible journey serving as Chairman of buildingSMART International for the past 19 years. Witnessing the organization's evolution and the positive impact it’s open standards are having on our industry has been truly rewarding. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together. As I pass the baton to Ian Howell as our new Chair, I have full confidence in his abilities to lead buildingSMART International into the next phase of its transformative journey."
Ian Howell, the newly appointed Chairman, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role. With a distinguished career in the built environment sector, Howell has played a pivotal role in driving digital transformation and innovation across various organizations. As an original co-founder of buildingSMART and after serving in various roles both for the US Chapter and with bSI, Howell is poised to build upon the solid foundation laid by his predecessor to help guide bSI towards even greater advancements in open digital standards and collaboration.
Commenting on his appointment, Ian Howell said, "I am honoured and humbled to take on the role of Chairman at buildingSMART International. Patrick MacLeamy's legacy is formidable, and I am committed to upholding the organization's mission to advance the digital transformation of the built environment. I look forward to collaborating with our global community, industry partners, and stakeholders to create and support open standards that drive innovation, foster interoperability, improve efficiency and ensure a sustainable future for our industry."
bSI thanks Patrick MacLeamy for his tremendous dedication, exceptional service and outstanding contributions to the industry. We also welcome the appointment of Ian Howell as the new Chair who will bring fresh perspectives and expertise, signifying an exciting new era in the organization's journey.
About buildingSMART International
buildingSMART International is a vendor-neutral and not for profit body that leads the development of open standards that support digital information flows across the built asset industry. Its mission is to proactively engage industry participants who want to develop open standards for planning, design, procurement, assembly and operation of buildings and infrastructure worldwide. It provides the international network plus the necessary technical and process support to develop consensus based open standards. Its members, who range from across the entire built environment spectrum, collaborate under the buildingSMART organization and management. buildingSMART also partners with other international standards bodies such as ISO, the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) and the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). Its core Industry Foundation Class (IFC) standard achieved ISO approval in 2012.
Media contacts’;
Aidan Mercer, Marketing Director
buildingSMART International
+44 7181-304-3435
aidan.mercer@buildingsmart.org