LinkedIn: Kevin Alexander Keane | LinkedIn
1. A short introduction about yourself.
I’m Kevin Alexander Keane FRICS, a Chartered Surveyor and Director of Operations at Allied Surveyors Scotland. I began my career in 2013 and have worked across residential surveying, valuation and professional development, progressing from graduate surveyor through to senior leadership.
Today, my focus extends beyond the technical aspects of surveying. I’m passionate about developing people, building high-performing teams, attracting and retaining talent and helping shape the future of our profession. Alongside my professional role, I’m a member of the RICS in Scotland Board and the LionHeart Board of Trustees.
For me, surveying has always been about people as much as property: giving clients confidence, developing colleagues and contributing positively to the profession we’re all part of.
2. What skill do you value the most as your career has developed, and how have you built those skills?
The skill I value most now is leadership through communication and empathy
Early in my career, technical competence and attention to detail were rightly my priorities. As my responsibilities have grown, I’ve realised that the ability to listen, communicate clearly, understand different perspectives and bring people with you is what really makes a difference.
I’ve developed those skills through experience, mentorship, being part of great teams, supporting people through their professional development and - importantly - being willing to learn from the people around me. I’ve also deliberately put myself in situations outside my technical comfort zone – from speaking and podcasting to professional committees and wider industry engagement.
The further I progress, the more I believe that good leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating an environment where talented people can do their best work.
3. What part of your role gives you the most satisfaction or sense of purpose?
Without question, it’s seeing people develop and succeed.
There is a particular satisfaction in seeing someone join an organisation with limited experience, helping them find their confidence and watching them progress into a capable professional. That might be supporting someone through their APC, encouraging a graduate to get involved in the wider profession, or simply giving someone the opportunity to take on more responsibility.
I also get a huge amount of satisfaction from helping shape the direction of an organisation and the wider profession. Surveying is evolving rapidly and I want to be part of creating a profession that is commercially strong, technically respected and attractive to people from all backgrounds.
4. What is one of the proudest moments or projects of your career so far?
One of the things I’m proudest of is how my career has evolved from being focused primarily on developing my own technical expertise to having the opportunity to lead, develop and influence others.
Becoming a Fellow of RICS was an important milestone, but what means more to me is what that progression represents. I’ve been fortunate to take on increasing responsibility, manage strategic relationships, support colleagues through their own professional development and become more involved in shaping the direction of our profession.
I’m particularly proud of the people I’ve been able to help along the way. Seeing colleagues develop their confidence, achieve their professional qualifications and progress into positions of greater responsibility is incredibly rewarding.
At this stage of my career, I measure success less by individual achievements and more by the impact I can have on people and the profession as a whole. That’s something I’m keen to continue building on.
5. How do you stay motivated and inspired in a profession that is always evolving?
I try to stay curious … questioning why we do things the way we do, challenging the status quo and looking for opportunities to improve.
The built environment is changing constantly – technology, regulation, client expectations, sustainability, data and the way we attract and develop talent are all reshaping what it means to be a surveyor. I see that change as an opportunity rather than a threat.
I make a conscious effort to keep learning from people inside and outside my immediate circle. I also stay engaged with the wider profession through RICS, events, mentoring, conversations with colleagues and the next generation of surveyors.
Most importantly, I remind myself that we’re not just responding to change – we have an opportunity to lead it. That’s what keeps the profession interesting for me. There is still enormous scope to improve how we work, how we develop people and how we communicate the value of surveying to the wider public.
6. What encouragement would you give to students and the younger generation to get them interested in a career in surveying/the built environment?
If you care about people, property and the world we live in - there’s a place for you in surveying. It’s a profession with enormous variety, and there’s an opportunity to build a career around your strengths while making a real difference to the places and communities around us.
I certainly didn’t have a clear understanding of surveying when I was at school. I was interested in buildings and had originally imagined a career in architecture, but discovering surveying opened up an incredibly varied career that has taken me much further than I could have imagined.
The built environment needs people with all sorts of skills – technical thinkers, communicators, problem-solvers, relationship builders, digital specialists and future leaders. You don't have to fit one particular mould to succeed.