2026 Annual General Meeting: Professor Robert Mokaya succeeds Dr Annette Doherty as RSC president

Professor Robert Mokaya and Dr Annette Doherty

Professor Mokaya succeeded Dr Annette Doherty at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday and will occupy one of chemistry's most prestigious posts for two years.

The event, held at our Burlington House base in central London, also saw Professor Dave Leigh formally take the title of president-elect ahead of his own term, which will start in the summer of 2028.

The AGM also gave members a chance to pose questions to our leaders about the RSC's activities and plans for the future, while a presentation demonstrated some of the work we are doing as an organisation.

A long-time RSC member, Professor Mokaya has been a prominent voice within the RSC for some time. Prior to his presidency, he served on our board of trustees and was also the former chair of our Inclusion and Diversity Committee, acting as a driving force in shaping our work in this area.

Now as he embarks on his term in charge, he said he is eager to continue supporting the advancement of our organisational goals and the chemical sciences as a whole.

"At the time of my election I said I was humbled and honoured to be chosen as president, and two years on I feel just the same," said Professor Mokaya, who becomes the first Black president of the Royal Society of Chemistry in our 185-year history.

"Being president-elect, working with the president and working with the leadership of the RSC really does mean that you get to know a lot more about the organisation, so for me, the last two years have been great preparation and I feel ready."

Having worked together on our board of trustees for the past two years, Dr Doherty was effusive in her support of Professor Mokaya. She believes he is the right man to take up the mantle, not just to continue the existing work of the organisation but also to shape the society in innovative new ways.

She said: "It's delightful to pass over to Professor Robert Mokaya because he's going to be a fabulous president for the society moving forward and I know he will bring lots of new perspectives to this role. It's been a great honour to work with him in the service of the RSC."

Dr Annette Doherty bestows the RSC presidential medal on Professor Robert Mokaya

Outgoing president's pride

Wednesday's AGM saw Dr Doherty's two-year tenure as president come to a close as she passed the presidential medal onto Professor Mokaya. As well as bringing more than 35 years of international experience working within the pharmaceutical sector, she also served as a two-term trustee before taking up the presidency in 2024.

Reflecting on her time in charge, she said: "It's been fabulous. I've enjoyed every moment of being president of the Royal Society of Chemistry. I've worked with so many wonderful people; the board of trustees, the staff at the RSC and the members. I will always remember this experience.

"I've been a part of the RSC since I was a student four decades ago, and to be able to give back to this society as president has been such an honour. I will forever remember the whole experience of being a trustee, president-elect and president."

Reflecting the mutual respect built working together as trustees, Professor Mokaya commended Dr Doherty for her leadership since she took over as president in 2024 and for the support she has offered him personally.

"I've been working with Annette now for two years as president-elect and she has been a wonderful, wonderful president," he said. "She has been very generous with her time, very clear about the things that she thinks we do very well as an organisation, and she has helped the organisation to transform in a very positive way over the last two years, but also over the period that she has been a trustee.

"She leaves me with the very big boots to fill, but I'm just going to do my very, very best."

Honorary treasurer Dr Mandy Cooke, CEO Dr Helen Pain, president Professor Robert Mokaya and immediate past president Dr Annette Doherty

Election winners take up posts

Wednesday's meeting also brought with it a changing of the guard for various governance groups across our organisation. A total of 17 members of our community took up new posts at the AGM with the full list of election winners named below.

• Read the updated list of trustees and officeholders on the governance section of our website.