RTPI Past President Dr Wei Yang has been recognised as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to town planning.
Dr Wei Yang was RTPI President in 2021 and is chief executive and co-founder of social enterprise Digital Task Force for Planning. She was the first female chair of the Construction Industry Council and founder of Wei Yang & Partners.
She said: “It is a great privilege to be honoured with an OBE as a planner. The planning profession plays a vital role in shaping the sustainable future of our communities. I cannot think of any profession that suits me better.
"A heartfelt thank you to my family, friends, and colleagues who have supported me throughout the years. I look forward to continuing our journey of modernising the planning profession in the digital era for the public good."
Professor Diana Fitzsimons MRTPI was awarded an OBE for services to housing, to a shared future and to sustainable communities in Northern Ireland. Diana has been a very active member in Northern Ireland and used to sit on RTPI's International Committee.
Diana currently sits on the Interim Regional Planning Commission in Northern Ireland, is a visiting professor at Ulster University, and is chair of the Property and Place Committee of Belfast Harbour.
Dr Bonnie Kwok has been awarded an MBE, for services to education. As the Lead for the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service Youth Engagement Service, she is passionate about attracting young people to the profession and visits schools to talk about developments in their area. She was also on the 2024 Planner Woman of Influence list.
Paul Hudson, a planning adviser at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, has been awarded an OBE for services to town planning.
Also listed in the King’s Honours is Chris Katkowski KC, who was awarded a CBE for his services to planning. He is known in the planning world as ‘Kit Kat’ and has been involved in hundreds of planning inquiries and court cases across the past 40 years.
Dr Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the RTPI said: “On behalf of the RTPI, I want to congratulate Wei, Diana, Bonnie and Paul on this most prestigious recognition of their work. As planners, we understand the profession's importance in improving the public's lives. However, to see such recognition, particularly for one of the RTPI’s most distinguished past presidents, should be a matter of pride for every planner.”
