The President of the Institution of Lighting Professionals has the role of representing the Institution both nationally and regionally, within our membership and spreading the word to other organisations both professional and political.
The first President of the ILP was S B Langlands who served in 1924, when the Institution was first established.
Current and Past Presidents, their year of inauguration, and AGM venue, are listed below.
| Year | Conference Venue | President |
| 2022 | Bristol | F Horgan |
| 2021 | Online | F Horgan |
| 2020 | Online | A Smith |
| 2019 | Newcastle | A Smith |
| 2018 | Thame | C Fish |
| 2017 | Glasgow | A Jaques |
| 2016 | Brighton | K Grigg |
| 2015 | Chester | E Thomas |
| 2014 | Solihull | M Cooper |
| 2013 | Glasgow | M Johnson |
| 2012 | Brighton | P Lummis |
| 2011 | Harrogate | A Howard |
| 2010 | Kenilworth | A Scott |
| 2009 | Bournemouth | C Hardy |
| 2008 | Bristol | M Burrows |
| 2007 | Dublin | P Craven |
| 2006 | Manchester | S Capper |
| 2005 | Edinburgh | J R Cameron |
| 2004 | London | D C Rogers |
| 2003 | Glasgow | D G McNair |
| 2002 | Cardiff | N J Parry |
| 2001 | Sheffield | C R Stevenson |
| 2000 | London | T S Bulmer |
| 1999 | Portsmouth | C R Lane |
| 1998 | Edinburgh | P E Baldrey |
| 1997 | Blackpool | C R Lane |
| 1996 | Cambridge | N E Pollard |
| 1995 | Birmingham | D J Coatham |
| 1994 | Lancaster | M D Simpson |
| 1993 | Bournemouth | G C T Pritchard |
| 1992 | Swansea | D M Paylor |
| 1991 | Birmingham | G Channon |
| 1990 | York | M Hollinhurst |
| 1989 | Bournemouth | R W Paterson |
| 1988 | Coventry | P D Wright |
| 1987 | Blackpool | D C Webster |
| 1986 | Cambridge | S Cairns |
| 1985 | Brighton | K Shaw |
| 1984 | York | B R Austin |
| 1983 | Blackpool | A Elliott OBE |
| 1982 | Cambridge | J A Davidson |
| 1981 | Brighton | N S Macaulay |
| 1980 | York | B Ruston |
| 1979 | Ayr | F Millington |
| 1978 | Bristol | J W Dorrington |
| 1977 | Folkestone | D J Saunderson |
| 1976 | Blackpool | R E Cavalier |
| 1975 | Brighton | K T O Cox |
| 1974 | Eastbourne | D R Colvin |
| 1973 | Scarborough | B R Austin |
| 1972 | Harrogate | H J Slater |
| 1971 | Eastbourne | J Woodhouse |
| 1970 | Blackpool | K J Goddard |
| 1969 | Brighton | J R Brodie |
| 1968 | Harrogate | D R Colvin |
| 1967 | Eastbourne | H F Cork TD |
| 1966 | Blackpool | W R Stevens OBE |
| 1965 | Brighton | W Robinson |
| 1964 | Edinburgh | T M Lappin |
| 1963 | Eastbourne | W T Souter |
| 1962 | Blackpool | J H Morrison |
| 1961 | Scarborough | E C Lennox |
| 1960 | Folkestone | R C Smith MBE |
| 1959 | Aberdeen | R Parker |
| 1958 | Harrogate | G Berry |
| 1957 | Torquay | H Carpenter |
| 1956 | Blackpool | H Carpenter |
| 1955 | Folkestone | J M Waldram |
| 1954 | Eastbourne | L A Doxey |
| 1953 | Liverpool | C C Smith |
| 1952 | Harrogate | E Howard |
| 1951 | Brighton | H Pryce-Jones JP |
| 1950 | Bournemouth | P Richbell |
| 1949 | Llandudno | A S Tapsfield |
| 1948 | Eastbourne | N Boydell |
| 1947 | Southport | T Wilkie |
| 1946 | London | W N Clinch |
| 1945 | Glasgow | E J Stewart |
| 1938 – 1944 | Bournemouth | C H Woodward |
| 1937 | Folkestone | C I Winstone |
| 1936 | Cheltenham | E C Lennox |
| 1935 | London | A M Bell |
| 1934 | Aberdeen | A Forbes |
| 1933 | Margate | E M Severn |
| 1932 | Blackpool | H Davies |
| 1931 | Edinburgh | R Beveridge |
| 1930 | Leicester | T Wilkie |
| 1929 | Bournemouth | S B Langlands |
| 1928 | Sheffield | J F Colquhoun |
| 1927 | Brighton | A C Cramb |
| 1926 | Newcastle Upon Tyne | A Davison |
| 1925 | Leeds | C S Shapley OBE |
| 1924 | Glasgow | S B Langlands |