PMI’s annual Future 50 shines the spotlight on rising project leaders who are creating a better future for all. Projectified â spoke with three 2022 honorees: Kathy Johnston, chief chocolate officer, Mirzam Chocolate Makers, Dubai: Johnston discusses tackling challenges to build the company’s second chocolate factory with hybrid teams, how she’s learned to be a change-ready and flexible leader, and how she’s become more comfortable with her leadership style—and how that’s helped her take more ri...
Jul 13, 2022•23 min•Season 5Ep. 12
With omnichannel shopping on the rise, consumer behaviors are changing. This is paving the way for a tech-fueled reset in retail, spanning brick-and-mortar stores and ecommerce alike. We discuss this with: Saad Siddiqui, COO, Veeve, Seattle: Siddiqui shares what inspired his team to create a smart shopping cart, how customer and retailer feedback helped the team iteratively improve the cart’s functions and design, and how the team is handling implementation projects as operations scale up. Simon...
Jun 29, 2022•20 min•Season 5Ep. 11
The climate crisis is impacting coastlines across the globe, with communities facing threats from rising sea levels and more frequent extreme weather events. In response, teams are launching projects to mitigate risks and build resilience. We discuss this with: Swarna Kazi, senior disaster risk management specialist, World Bank, Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Ignacio Urrutia, senior disaster risk management specialist, World Bank, Bangkok: Kazi and Urrutia discuss a project that aims to bolster sections...
Jun 15, 2022•27 min•Season 5Ep. 10
Over the last decade, governments across the globe have launched digital transformation projects, from digitizing services to revamping their online presence for better citizen engagement. We discuss this with: Katrine Maria Krzeminski, program manager, Agency for Digital Government, Copenhagen: Krzeminski discusses her project to create personal pages for each citizen on the country’s public sector portal, how her team builds support from and collaborates with multiple government agencies on th...
Jun 01, 2022•26 min•Season 5Ep. 9
The events of the past few years have wreaked havoc on the global supply chain. Organizations are responding with innovative projects to increase their resiliency. We discuss this with: Leefke Grosjean, senior researcher and project manager for 5G-Smart, Ericsson, Stockholm: Grosjean discusses how the 5G-Smart project is testing 5G’s potential in manufacturing, ways the team improved communication and collaboration, and how solutions from the three pilots can be adopted across factories. Peter G...
May 18, 2022•22 min•Season 5Ep. 8
In the past few years, teams have had to rethink events of all types—conferences, award shows, concerts—to virtual or hybrid formats, innovating to keep attendees and audiences safe as well as engaged. We discuss this with: Nadja Burkhardt, supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, European Broadcasting Union, Geneva: She discusses how her team handles constant change to plan and execute the annual Eurovision Song Contest, how the event adapted during the pandemic, and how her team manages and ...
May 04, 2022•23 min•Season 5Ep. 7
The time to act on climate change is running out, putting pressure on nations and organizations alike to help heal the plant. Project teams around the world are helping care for our planet. We discuss this with: Karl Campbell, director, Latin American Pacific Islands, Re:wild, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador: Campbell discusses the program he’s leading to rewild 25 islands over the next decade, projects that are underway in the Galápagos, and how teams are collaborating with partners and local commun...
Apr 20, 2022•25 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Project leaders make decisions on a nearly non-stop basis. But they also have access to a wealth of information that can help them make the right call. We discuss this with: Reuben Oshomah, PMP, regional director, West Africa, Avanti Communications, Lagos: He talks through what kinds of information project leaders should consult, and the role team members and stakeholders play in making smart decisions. Ramyajit Dasgupta, PMP, global analytics manager, Concentrix, Kolkata: He discusses the role ...
Mar 23, 2022•12 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Women have faced an uphill battle in the workplace, especially during the pandemic. But they continue to make strides with game-changing projects across sectors and around the globe. We discuss the state of the state for women project leaders with: Nontobeko Mathenjwa, project manager at South African National Roads Agency, Johannesburg: Mathenjwa discusses the challenges she faced early in her career as a project leader in construction, what changes she’d like to see and her advice to women in ...
Mar 09, 2022•16 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Even with disruption and economic uncertainty, the job market for project talent is booming—and it doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon. We discuss the changing world of work and career opportunities for project professionals with: Elton Soares, PMP, electrical engineer and project manager at General Electric, Florianópolis, Brazil: Soares discusses the rise of people-centric leaders, the increase in digital transformation and the growth in the energy sector. Malong Dong, PMP, director o...
Feb 23, 2022•15 min•Season 5Ep. 3
As digital transformation accelerates, companies may be leaving behind some users: the 1 billion people who experience some form of disability. Whether their project is in gaming or financial services, companies must ensure the digital world is an inclusive one. We discuss this with: Brannon Zahand, senior program manager, gaming accessibility at Microsoft, Seattle: He discusses creating the company’s Game Accessibility Testing Service—one of PMI’s 2021 Most Influential Projects—and increasing r...
Feb 09, 2022•22 min•Season 5Ep. 2
The pandemic has healthcare providers pursuing innovation like never before—but they must also ensure those cutting-edge ideas and technologies deliver value to patients. We discuss this with: Antoinette de Bont, dean of the Tilburg School of Social & Behavioral Sciences at Tilburg University, the Netherlands: She discusses the BigMedilytics project—an initiative that aims to bring data science and healthcare together—and how project leaders can help team members collaborate. Christine DeVol...
Jan 26, 2022•18 min•Season 5Ep. 1
As 2021 comes to an end, project leaders are looking back at what they’ve accomplished—and ahead to 2022. Projectified[R] reconnects with guests from the last year to discuss the lessons they’ve learned, the biggest changes they’ve seen, the emerging must-have skills and what lies ahead in the new year. Guests include: Sevi Rich, BHP in Perth, Australia; Kris Sprague, PMP, PgMP, PfMP, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals in Tarrytown, New York, USA; Alice Chow, Arup in Hong Kong; Leyla Zelaya, United Natio...
Dec 29, 2021•18 min•Season 4Ep. 26
The financial services sector is evolving—using new technologies to meet changing customer preferences. We discuss the future of fintech with: Michal Raczka, PMP, IT director at mBank, Warsaw, Poland: Raczka discusses how shifting demographics and customer habits are pushing digital transformation in the financial services sector, plus how low-code platforms are helping his teams deliver innovative products. Kimwood Mott, project manager, digital currency implementation at Central Bank of the Ba...
Dec 15, 2021•17 min•Season 4Ep. 25
Change is constant in The Project Economy. That means project leaders must adapt and evolve, too. Our guests discuss how leadership strategies are shifting—and offer hands-on advice for bringing out the best in teams. Tim Munden, chief learning officer and head of employee wellbeing at Unilever in London, discusses the move away from a command-and-control leadership model to one characterized by humility and vulnerability. He also offers tips for creating a more inclusive culture by leaders list...
Dec 01, 2021•17 min•Season 4Ep. 24
Buckle up—the world is entering a new era of spaceflight as startup commercial ventures join forces with government agencies. We discuss turning cutting-edge innovation into reality with: Jermey Gajadhar, PMP, program manager at Virgin Galactic, Mojave, California: Gajadhar talks about building a project management foundation at Virgin Galactic, mitigating risk and what’s next for commercial spaceflight. Pierrik Vuilleumier, project manager at the European Space Agency, Noordwijk, the Netherland...
Nov 17, 2021•18 min•Season 4Ep. 23
PMI’s 2021 Most Influential Projects highlights nearly 250 initiatives that deliver serious innovation in everything from healthcare to mobility. We discuss two of those projects with: Josh Katz, founder and CEO of YellowHeart, New York City: Katz discusses how his company collaborated with the Kings of Leon to create a first-of-its-kind NFT package—paving the way for other artists to use the emerging tech. Patrick Omondi, PhD, director, Wildlife Research and Training Institute, Naivasha, Kenya:...
Nov 03, 2021•15 min•Season 4Ep. 22
Infrastructure projects form the bedrock of modern society—delivering expressways, clean water supplies, internet access and a bevy of other essentials. Yet project leaders must also ensure these initiatives deliver value now—and for decades to come. We discuss this with: Innocentia Mahlangu, PMP, senior civil engineer and project manager at Hatch, Johannesburg: Mahlangu discusses the socioeconomic impact of infrastructure projects, the need for meaningful stakeholder engagement and future-proo...
Oct 20, 2021•19 min•Season 4Ep. 21
As the world grapples with the effects of climate change, consumers are increasingly interested in electric vehicles (EVs). And that means lots of projects, not just to deliver cool new products, but also the underlying infrastructure that supports them. We discuss e-mobility trends with: Gaurav Batra, global advanced manufacturing and mobility analyst team leader at EY in New Delhi: Batra discusses how the pandemic—and climate change—shifted EV adoption rates, and the role of government leaders...
Oct 06, 2021•19 min•Season 4Ep. 20
Data fuels collaboration and innovation—but it can also be a vulnerability. That means project leaders must keep security and risk top of mind—at all times. We discuss this with: Tim Hurley, PMP, cybersecurity project manager, Sempra, San Diego, California: Hurley discusses why teams must address security concerns early—and often—and offers his advice to project leaders on how to keep data secure. Maxine Holt, senior research director, cybersecurity at Omdia, London: Holt talks about the cyberse...
Sep 22, 2021•16 min•Season 4Ep. 19
With disruption a near constant, project leaders must be able to solve complex problems in uncertain situations. We discuss this with: Raquel Selem Moreira, design and innovation project manager at Pierre Fabre Group, Rio de Janeiro: Selem Moreira talks about breaking down complexity on projects and using design thinking to deliver innovative solutions. Marianna Sarmiento, assistant director of administration at Riverside County Department of Public Social Services, Riverside, California, USA: S...
Sep 08, 2021•18 min•Season 4Ep. 18
When the pandemic hit, many hallmarks of city life—public transportation, skyscrapers with shared amenities, bustling streets—flipped from pros to cons. But don’t count cities out. We discuss how project teams are reimagining the urban environment with: Jun Huang, partner, Wei Yang & Partners, London: Huang discusses the aspects of urban life most strained during the pandemic—and how cities can change in response. He also shares ways project leaders can best collaborate with multiple stakeho...
Aug 25, 2021•25 min•Season 4Ep. 17
In today’s competitive world of work, career-focused project leaders are learning to set themselves apart from the pack with a strong personal brand story. We discuss branding tips and tricks with: Pascale Sablan, associate at Adjaye Associates, and founder and executive director of Beyond the Built Environment LLC, both in New York City: Sablan shares how she created—and redefined—her personal brand and how it influences her thinking on projects. Jon Michail, founder and group CEO of Image Grou...
Aug 11, 2021•21 min
The pandemic has drastically changed the way many people live and work—and also brought a new focus on mental health. What does that mean for project teams? We discuss the issue with: Carrie Fletcher, PMP, vice president, people and experience at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto: She discusses how a healthy staff can boost company performance, the signs a team member may be struggling with mental health issues, and the challenges and rewards of her own organization’s initiativ...
Jul 28, 2021•22 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Fueled by bold thinking and a deep commitment to social impact, a new generation of leaders is out to build a better world. PMI Future 50 leaders both past and present discuss how young people are changing the world of projects. The episode includes a conversation between Ackeem Ngwenya, co-founder of Reframd in Berlin, and Julissa Mateo Abad, PMP, digital transformation manager at Distribuidora Corripio in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The two discuss social impact, inclusion and other shi...
Jul 14, 2021•21 min•Season 4Ep. 14
From digital twins to 3D printing, cutting-edge tech is disrupting the construction industry. Guests are: Miguel Monteiro, project director, Besix, Dubai: Monteiro discusses how technology is helping improve efficiency and safety on the Uptown Tower project. He also talks about how project leaders can encourage teams to try out new tech and how to measure ROI. Matt Gough, director of innovation, Mace, London: Gough discusses how changing government regulations and COVID-19 accelerated the growth...
Jun 30, 2021•25 min•Season 4Ep. 13
On Projectified ®’s 100th episode, we hit the fast-forward button to see what The Project Economy might look like over the next decade. One thing is clear: Our changing world demands a new kind of leader. Guests are: Marcelo Tocci, PMP, commercial aviation, program management office and deputy program director, Embraer, São Paulo: Tocci discusses the need for future-focused project leaders to concentrate on innovation and delivering value to society as well as the bottom line. He also talks abou...
Jun 16, 2021•21 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Few project leaders saw COVID-19 coming. That points to a new mindset required to identify, manage and mitigate risks throughout the project life cycle. Gone are the days of a risk register dutifully filled out and then tucked away in a desk drawer. Guests are: Michael O’Connor, PhD, PMP, PgMP, director, strategy and project management at Medtronic, Minneapolis: O’Connor talks about building risk management into projects from the start and communicating risk across the enterprise. Ernest Seto, P...
Jun 09, 2021•17 min•Season 4Ep. 11
More than a year ago, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Today, vaccines are rolling out, and it’s up to governments working with project teams to get shots into arms quickly, safely, efficiently and equitably. Our guest is Kate Elder from Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF). She discusses how the group’s teams are working with governments to administer COVID-19 vaccines, pushing for global vaccine equity and diversifying vaccine production. Key themes...
May 26, 2021•16 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Artificial intelligence is officially part of the mainstream, sparking big changes across industries. But do companies have the talent they need to truly make the most of the technology? Guests are: Manolis Koubarakis, project coordinator, ExtremeEarth, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece: Koubarakis discusses building the team behind the environmental tracking project and the challenges of executing large-scale AI. Snehanshu Mitra, CEO, center of excellence, data science and ...
May 12, 2021•19 min•Season 4Ep. 9
