APM South Wales and West of England Conference, held on 11 October 2022 Presentation given by Prof Adam Boddison, APM CEO

1. APM Update
SWWE, 11 October 2022
Prof Adam Boddison
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@adamboddison

2. Adam joined APM as chief executive officer (CEO)
in September 2021. He has a non-executive
director portfolio that includes being Chair of the
Corporation at Coventry College and Trustee at a
multi-academy trust spanning 58 primary,
secondary and specialist settings. These schools
and colleges provide education for around 40,000
children and young people. Adam is also a visiting
professor at the University of Wolverhampton.
Prof Adam Boddison
Chief Executive

3. About us
We’re APM, the only chartered membership
organisation for the project profession in the world
▪ We’re chartered to build the profession’s profile and
set the highest standards
▪ We’re a registered charity and our activities are
broad
▪ Sharing best practice and leading debate
▪ We’re about more than just process
▪ We challenge the status quo and champion
innovation
▪ We’re helping the project profession deliver better
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4. APM at 50
In the last 50 years the world has changed beyond
recognition. As we look to the future, addressing key
challenges such as climate change, social inequality
and digital transformation, we know it will change
even more. If the last decade has shown anything –
from the London Olympics to the COVID vaccine – it’s
the power of successful project management to
deliver positive impact. And, as the only chartered
membership organisation representing the project
profession in the world, APM and its professional
community are at the forefront of delivering projects
that succeed and benefit society.
It’s our golden year at a golden moment for the
project profession.

5. Refreshed Strategic Framework
To advance the science, theory and practice of project and programme management
for the public benefit
Mission/
Charitable
Objects
Vision
A world in which all projects succeed
Warm
Values
Excellent Progressive Thoughtful
APM provides leadership
of the profession
APM is a professional
body for all
project professionals
APM identifies and
enables the right skills for
the project professional
APM is an outstanding
professional body
Strategic
Themes

6. APM Community – mobile app
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7. Property of APM
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8. 8
THE PROJECT PROFESSION
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PROFILE ACCESS FUTURE
CALL TO
ACTION

9. The Profile of the Project Profession
The project profession is not yet seen
universally as a profession in its own right
• Trial by media (project failure)
• Project success is rarely deemed newsworthy…
Public
• Project management does not have an equivalent status to other
strategic professions (HR, marketing, finance)
• MBA programmes fail to recognise projects as strategy delivery
(project management is too often an elective)
• BAU:change ratio lends itself to the projectification of leadership
roles, but buy-in from leaders remains low
Leaders
• More progressive with greater awareness (via IPA and
associated project delivery capability framework)
Government
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02
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10. We asked PwC which sectors had the most
project professionals…
2. Construction and Telecoms 282,700
3. Hospitality and Leisure 249,200
4. Healthcare (inc. Pharma) 223,800
6. Government (national and local) 184,600
5. Manufacturing 216,300
1. Financial and Professional Services 666,000
Source: Golden Thread (PwC, 2019)
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11. The Profile of the Project Profession
How many project professionals (FTE)
are there in the UK?
2.13m
What proportion of GVA in the UK does
the project profession account for?
8.9%
What proportion of UK employment (FTEs)
does the project profession account for?
7.9%
What is the GVA (Gross Value Added)
by the project profession in the UK?
*This compares to ~£101bn GVA from
the City of London
£156.5bn
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2 3
4 Source: Golden Thread (PwC, 2019)
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12. The Profile of the Project Profession
The project profession is estimated to be worth over US$20 trillion/year.
(Budzier and Maylor, 2021)
By 2027, there will be 88m project professionals.
(PMI, 2017; Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez, 2021)
Only 35% of projects are successful.
(Standish group, 2015; Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez, 2021)
Global insights…
Only 0.5% of projects are successful.
(Flyvbjerg, 2021)
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13. Access to the Project Profession
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14. The Future of the Project Profession
The rise of AI
People vs Processes
Data Literacy (Project Data Analytics)
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15. MARKETING
PROFESSION
TRAJECTORY
SYSTEM
GENEROSITY
MIXED
METHODOLOGIES
BENEFITS
REALISATION
The Future of the
Project Profession
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16. The Future of the
Project Profession
Technical
Profession
Finance
Marketing
HR
IT
Legal
Health & Safety
Strategic
Profession
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17. Property of APM
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Call to Action
APM Government Leaders Project Professionals
Be positive about the project profession.
Be an ambassador for the project profession.
Nurture the pipeline of
project professionals for the
future.
Ensure consistency of
effective project delivery
across all government
departments.
Give the project profession
the same status as finance,
marketing and HR.
Consistently ‘learn, unlearn,
and relearn’ to be effective in
the role.
Amplify the voice of the
project profession.
Consider the appointment of
a CPO (or equivalent) and
foster the wider evolution
from IQ to EQ.
Foster ‘system generosity’ by
mentoring, coaching or
nurturing other project
professionals.
Promote thought leadership
across the project profession.
Proactively identify and
support accidental project
professionals.
Provide leaders with
evidence to support the
business case for investment
into ChPP.
Implement ChPP as the
expected standard within the
procurement process (and
wider supply chain) for
expenditure of public money.
Ensure that ChPP is the
expected standard when
recruiting project
professionals.
Encourage and support each
other to aspire to achieve
ChPP.

18. Property of APM
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@adamboddison
adam.boddison@apm.org.uk
Thank you