Keynote Speaker Spotlight: Simon Jenkins – INTBAU World Congress 2025

Simon Jenkins is one of Britain’s most distinguished commentators on history, culture, and the built environment. Simon has been a tireless advocate for heritage and place. As Chairman of the National Trust (2008–2014) and Deputy Chairman of English Heritage, he helped to champion conservation and the value of historic environments in shaping the country’s modern life. He has served as trustee of The Architecture Foundation and on the Millennium Commission, furthering the case for cultural and civic renewal across the United Kingdom.

His books have become essential companions for those passionate about the Britain’s architectural inheritance. England’s Thousand Best Churches and England’s Thousand Best Houses remain touchstones for exploring heritage at the human scale, while works such as England’s Cathedrals and Britain’s Hundred Best Railway Stations highlight the enduring importance of traditional craft, engineering, and civic pride in shaping identity. His recent volumes, Cathedrals: Masterpieces of Architecture, Feats of Engineering, Icons of Faith and A Short History of England, weave historical perspective with architectural insight, showing how the built environment reflects national memory.

Simon is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, the Royal Society of Literature, and the Learned Society of Wales, honours that recognise his contributions to heritage, literature, and scholarship. He is also a celebrated journalist and author, and has served as editor of The Times and the Evening Standard, The Economist, and continues to write for The Guardian.

At the INTBAU World Congress 2025, Sir Simon will bring a uniquely British perspective on the relevance of tradition in today’s built environment — addressing how historic architecture, local identity, and human-scale design can guide us in imagining resilient and liveable futures.