Dr Wei Yang OBE Concludes Term as Chair of the Construction Industry Council

Dr Wei Yang OBE has concluded her two-year term as Chair of the Construction Industry Council (CIC), during which she played an important leadership role in the UK built environment sector through a period of significant change and collaboration.

Appointed in June 2023, Dr Yang was the first female Chair of CIC, the first Chair from the planning profession, and the first to be born outside the UK and Ireland. Her leadership focused on strengthening collective action across the sector, promoting sustainability, and encouraging more inclusive and interdisciplinary approaches to the built environment.

During her term, CIC led the development of Building a Safer, Healthier and More Sustainable Future for All, a comprehensive policy document published for the 2024 UK General Election. Produced in close collaboration with all 35 CIC member organisations, it set out a unified response from the built environment professions to national priorities such as housing delivery, climate action, regional growth, skills, public health, and innovation.

To support future workforce needs, Dr Yang established the CIC Education and Future Skills Committee, a platform bringing together professional institutions, educators, and employers. The committee continues to foster dialogue and collaboration on the evolving skills and competencies required across the sector.

Throughout her time as Chair, Dr Yang highlighted the importance of diversity and inclusion, advocating for broader representation within professional leadership.

In her well-known quote, Dr Yang said, “There is no age and gender difference in our spirit, no race difference in our soul. As long as we believe in ourselves, our vision and our effort, we can all make a lasting difference for good."

Her term also coincided with CIC’s 35th anniversary — a moment she used to reaffirm the value of collaboration in creating a built environment that is safe, healthy, inclusive and sustainable for all.

In January 2025, Dr Yang was awarded an OBE in the 2025 New Year Honours list in recognition of her contribution to the town planning industry.

In the CIC press release, Dr Wei Yang said:

“As my two-year tenure as Chair of the Construction Industry Council comes to a close today, I feel deeply honoured to have led the CIC during such a pivotal period for the UK built environment. These past two years have been defined by collaboration, reform, and strategic action — all aimed at helping our industry respond to pressing societal and environmental challenges.

I want to extend my deepest thanks to CEO Graham Watts, incoming Chair Ian Brant, the CIC board, CIC staff, member organisations, and our wider network for their unwavering support and shared vision throughout my tenure. I also wish Ian every success as Chair of CIC over the coming two years. I am confident that his vision, dedication, and leadership will continue to champion the CIC’s spirit of collaboration.”