PM FORWARD 2025

President, IPMA (International Project Management Association )

Mladen Vukomanović has been active for more than 20 years in different leadership roles across various industries, including: AEC, Oil & Gas and the 3rd sector. As a project professional, Mladen works diligently on facilitating sustainable social change, developing project profession, and applies project management in real life. Mladen is full professor teaching at the University of Zagreb, also heavily involved in professional project work. During his years of professional work, Mladen volunteered for various NGOs and Charities, including the International Project Management Association (IPMA) in a range of different leadership roles (including President, Vice President, Chairman etc.). He is widely respected in the project management discipline and has received several prestigious certifications and awards, including an IPMA level-A certification. He can be contacted via mladen@ipma.world

President, IPMA-USA  (International Project Management Association) 
ICB5 Project Manager 

Tim Jaques is the president of IPMA-USA, project manager of the forthcoming Individual Competence Baseline, version 5 (ICB5) and contributing author to the ICB4. The ICB is IPMA’s premier global standard for assessing and certifying competence. Tim was the General Chair of the 12th IPMA Research Conference in April 2024 in College Park Maryland, USA. Tim has co-authored numerous books, chapters and articles, and speaks around the world. Tim lives in upstate New York, USA.

Novare Consulting
IPMA UK

Chris has over 35 years’ experience in project management, and has been a trainer for over 25 years. Chris leads our consultancy practice, working closely with clients to support them in developing PPM methods, setting up PMO’s and providing interim resources to support any short-term requirements

Chris is recognised as a leader in the PPM profession and was in the original authoring team for PRINCE2 in 1996. He also advised on the development of MSP, Management of Portfolio and the recent refresh of APM PQ. He is the Lead Trainer and Quality Director with over 10 professional certifications enabling him to deliver the full range of courses and certify organisations against the globally recognised project management maturity framework P3M3.

Chris has recently been elected President of IPMA UK.

Novare Consulting
IPMA UK

Sian started professional life in IT over 30 years ago and moved into project management as the profession grew. she leads our training practice, working with clients to design training programmes that meet their needs. She also advises on the development of competence frameworks, PM career structures, coaching and mentoring

Sian is an MSP Practitioner and certified to deliver Myers-Briggs MBTI and Belbin assessments and training and responsible for maintaining all our accreditations and has a close working relationship with the professional bodies particularly APM, AXELOS and APMG international whom she advises on qualifications and competence frameworks.

Professional Programs Manager, University of Maryland, Project Management Center for Excellence

Vice President, Program Management
Edwards Lifesciences

Eight years at Edwards Lifesciences co-leading the Transcatheter Heart Valve PMO focused on medical device new product development and strategic programs for structural heart therapies. Four years of program leadership at a contract R&D start-up developing point-of-care in vitro diagnostic allergy, immuno-therapy, and DNA analysis devices. Over twenty years of program management and contract administration in aerospace at Parker Hannifin developing and producing flight control systems for military and executive aircraft clients; Boeing on the GPS constellation; and Northrop Grumman on the B-2 Bomber program. Fifteen plus years studying and seeking the root cause for the failure of projects at every company, industry and region in the world. Three years speaking to portfolio, program, project management audiences on the topics for which I am passionate.

Ph.D., FRAeS Griebel Aerospace Consulting, Director CGI, Director, Aerospace and Assured Space Systems

Hannes is a strategic aerospace leader with over two decades’ experience in both the civil aviation and spaceflight industries. With a PhD in astronautics and hypersonic atmospheric entry vehicle design, he has led the design, build, test and operations of spacecraft for interplanetary missions and advanced satellite-based aviation services. A Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, he chairs EUROCAE’s working group on flight recorders and is an IPMA-certified Senior Project Manager. Hannes has worked at the University of Federal Armed Forces of Germany in Munich, the European Space Agency, Thales Alenia Space, Inmarsat, and CGI. Through Griebel Aerospace Consulting, Hannes advises global clients on strategy, technology, and project management. He is a certificated private pilot and STEM education advocate.

Chair of Taskforce: IPMA Standard Technical Committee 
TIME4PM GmbH, Germany

Consultant, trainer and coach for project management with experience in international projects and programs since 1995, working globally in various industries (e.g. IT, life science, finance, aerospace and others). His focus is on development of people and organizations in the context of a sustainable transformation of project culture.

Peter Pürckhauer is certified by IPMA as Senior Project and Program Manager (Level B), as PM Trainer by GPM and as Management Coach. At GPM (German Association for Project Management) and IPMA Peter Pürckhauer is involved in several specialist groups, in particular PM goes to School (GPM) and sustainable PM (GPM, IPMA). He has co-authored the IPMA ICB4 Reference Guide on Sustainable Project Management (2024) and authored Multi-Project Management for School Directors (2018). As a trainer Peter Pürckhauer is responsible for several personnel development programs from project team members up to project sponsors for a couple of customers.

CEO, Global Innovation Management Institute (GIMI)

Hitendra Patel is the CEO of the Global Innovation Management Institute, bringing 30 years of experience in innovation, consulting, and industry leadership. He has helped over a hundred Fortune 1000 companies build innovation capabilities and identify strategic growth opportunities, with sector expertise spanning food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, banking, insurance, and economic development. Hitendra previously co-founded Monitor Group’s Innovation Practice, led innovation at Arthur D. Little, and worked on lithium-ion batteries and satellite phones at Motorola, holding six patents. An author of multiple innovation books, he earned his MBA from Kellogg, a BSEE from Washington University in St. Louis, and a Ph.D. in Materials Science from Iowa State University. His strengths include integrative thinking, adaptability, digital literacy, creativity, leadership, and collaboration.

Former Chief Agility Officer (CAO) at the Agile Business Consortium
Co-author of ICB4, IPMA awards Judge & Senior Programme Director

Peter is a leading global expert in project, programme, and portfolio management, with deep involvement in IPMA awards and frameworks. He currently advises the Dutch Navy on project management excellence based on the IPMA Project Excellence Baseline (PEB) and serves as Chief Agility Officer for the Agile Business Consortium, where he advances business agility worldwide. Renowned for promoting competent people, strong processes, and impact-driven results, Peter also leads international business agility initiatives and he loves playing guitar and bass.

Head of Product, Platform & Operational Readiness for Onshore Execution, Wind Power, Siemens Energy.

Lars Johannesen is a well experienced manager in Siemens Energy having worked in the Renewable Energy industry for over 18 years. Originally from Denmark he has a strong desire for clean renewable energy and over the years been part of an exciting journey with renewables and remarkable growth within Siemens Wind Power and now Siemens Energy. Over 15 years experience with Project Management being responsible to lead and implement project management frameworks in Siemens including competence frameworks for our project managers. Lars is passionate about project management and have engaged in a close partnership with IPMA US over the last years leading to training and certifications of over 100 of our colleagues. He is currently pursuing an IPMA Executive Trainer Certification to continue successful efforts with development of project managers.

Director, Alstom

Phil Cribbin has worked as an executive leader in both the Rail Transportation & Aerospace Corporate Sectors, He moved from Europe in 2006 living in DC and Virginia and has managed large projects $500m+ and more recently Directed and led 400 employees at six manufacturing and logistics sites across the U.S. and Canada, He has passion for lifelong learning and personal growth and has recently started his own practice of Leadership Coaching – with “the nervous system in mind”  in order to guide people to a place of inner stillness so that people can meet complexity with clarity. Project Management – delivering transformation programs; through building Connection – Collaboration – Community.

CX-PRO, EdM, Customer Experience Educator, Author, Management Consultant, President and Chief Customer Officer, HorizonCX 

Karl Sharicz is Founder and CEO of HorizonCX, a veteran-owned consultancy specializing in Customer Experience (CX) management. With over 30 years of leadership in high-tech B2B environments, Karl brings expertise spanning marketing, sales, training, and CX strategy. Formerly Customer Experience Lead at Tyco SimplexGrinnell, he drove initiatives that improved customer satisfaction, retention, and lifetime value. He has designed certification programs, facilitated organizational adoption of CX practices, and developed the acclaimed “Next Improvement in Customer Experience (NICE)” workshop. A Master’s graduate of Boston University, Karl also served on the original Board of Directors of the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA).

Vice President, Technical Services (Ag) at the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago

Abbigail Meah-Ali is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of expertise spanning quality, management systems, chemistry, and project management. Alongside her consulting work, she has led diverse projects with both technical and leadership excellence. Passionate about project and quality management, she is an experienced trainer with ASQ and PECB, a Maxwell Leadership Certified Coach, and a Senior Member of ASQ serving as Vice Chair of its Quality Management Division. At conferences, she leverages her leadership and quality background to connect the IPMA ICB4 framework to practice, highlighting how competencies in leadership, negotiation, transformation, risk, and strategy equip project leaders to address disruption, sustainability, and organizational change.

IPMA-USA Director of Certification 
IPMA–B, PMI-PMP, PMI-PBA, PMI-ACP, Agile Scrum Master, CCMP, Project Management Skills Assessor 

Dr. Stephen Lynn is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in operations, financial management, and project execution. He holds a PhD in Business Administration with a focus on project management methodologies, and his research has been featured at the IPMA World Congress in Rome.

An IPMA Assessor since 2016, Dr. Lynn has worked extensively across the U.S., Europe, China, Africa, and the UAE. He served as an Adjunct Professor at Marist College from 2009 to 2024 and continues to contribute to global project management standards and education.

Chief Consultant, Systemic Excellence Group

Dr. Tikajit Rai is a 3PM professional with over 23 years of experience leading projects and programs in Software, Wireless, and EdTech sectors. Recognized as a systems thinker and award-winning leader, he specializes in digital transformation, organizational development, and sustainability. He holds a Ph.D. in Learning Technology, an M.S. in ICT, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. Certified in multiple disciplines—including PMP®, PROSCI® Change Practitioner, IPMA® Project Assessor, and Project DPro®—he has contributed to global initiatives in curriculum design and sustainability. Committed to lifelong learning, Dr. Rai empowers organizations to achieve impactful results and currently serves as a Board Member for IPMA-USA.

Chief of the Contracting Office within the Office of the Senior Procurement Executive (OSPE) at a Federal Agency

Robin D. Golden is the Chief of the Contracting Office within the Office of the Senior Procurement Executive, bringing over 28 years of federal service, including eight years in the U.S. Army. She manages a nearly $1 billion federal contracting portfolio covering services such as security, facilities, fleet, and operations, supported by a diverse acquisition team. Robin holds a Master’s in Management (Procurement and Contract Management) from University of Maryland Global Campus, a Bachelor’s in Social Science and Education from Kansas State University, and is a Certified Federal Contracts Manager. She is currently pursuing an ICF Coaching Certification, with the career goal of becoming a Senior Procurement Executive.