‘Deeply religious’ President of Royal Institute of British Architects is accused of abusing his position ‘by helping his architect girlfriend to find a job’
- RIBA President Alan Jones, 55, allegedly began affair with Sanoara Begom, 40
- Mr Jones helped her with her CV and arranged interviews for her in London
- Mr Jones, a professor at Queen’s University Belfast, is married to dentist Laura
The president of the Royal Institute of British Architects stepped down from the role after claims that he abused his position to help his lover find a job.
Married father-of-two Alan Jones, 55, has also been accused of using the institute’s grace-and-favour flat in London for his encounters with architectural assistant Sanoara Begom, 40.
Details of their affair were revealed in the industry last month and the Queen’s University Belfast professor announced he would be temporarily vacating his position at Riba.
The institute is investigating and a report has been made to the Charity Commission, which regulates it, over potential reputational damage.
Mr Jones, a professor at Queen’s University Belfast, is married to dentist Laura, 54 (pictured together)
The pair were introduced by former Riba president Ben Derbyshire after Miss Begom wrote to him in March 2018 to complain about alleged racist and Islamophobic remarks from colleagues at her Birmingham employer.
She left the firm after taking legal action over a pay row but Riba declined to help because the practice was not a member.
It appears Mr Jones, who was then the institute’s head of education, ‘offered to take her under his wing personally’, a Riba source said.
‘That must have been when it all started.’
In an email to senior institute figures later that year Miss Begom wrote: ‘Alan Jones has supported me through the year and helped me with my CV.
‘What I need now is proactive action in gaining employment, and as a result Alan Jones will be contacting mid-range practices in London to arrange interviews.’
It is unclear whether she found a job as a result but Miss Begom is understood not to be in architectural work at present.
A Riba source said: ‘I understand the allegations involve the free flat Riba provides for presidents in central London.
‘I’m told it’s being claimed he used it inappropriately by entertaining Miss Begom there – it’s not clear that’s a reasonable use of the property under Charity Commission rules.’
Mr Jones, who lives in a house he designed in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, with his dentist wife Laura, 54, declined to discuss the allegations last night.
He said: ‘I’m doing what I’ve been asked, which is to refer everything to the Riba press office.’
Miss Begom, who lives in a one-bedroom flat in Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham, said: ‘I don’t want to discuss anything.’
Alan Jones, 55, (pictured) allegedly began an affair with architectural assistant Sanoara Begom, from Solihull, West Midlands, in 2018
Members of the 180-year-old institute (pictured) have called for greater transparency as an investigation into whether Mr Jones used any of Riba’s funds to conduct his affair continues
On a Twitter account which she has since deleted, she tweeted shortly before Mr Jones announced that he was stepping back in March: ‘Time for a new career!’
Riba’s honorary president Kerr Robertson said Mr Jones ‘has taken leave of absence’ and the institute had contacted the Charity Commission ‘setting out how we would review the matter’.
He added: ‘We have an obligation to treat such matters fairly and confidentially, and it wouldn’t be appropriate for Riba to comment further at this stage.’
A Charity Commission spokesman said Riba had submitted a serious incident report.