Global professional organization PMI bets on long-term investment in China

"We have full confidence in the long-term prospects of China's economy and are willing to continue investment and development in China," said Pierre Le Manh, president and CEO of US-based global professional organization Project Management Institute (PMI).

During an exclusive interview with China Daily on Tuesday on the sideline of the 2024 China Project Management Office (PMO) Symposium in Beijing, Le Manh reiterated that PMI's commitment to elevating local experience to maximize project success in the country remains unchanged.

"China is the second largest community and market for PMI," he added. "The rapid economic growth resilience and industrial development in China make it a key focus for project management and an absolute priority for PMI."

As a sign of its long-term commitment, PMI announced at Tuesday's symposium three offerings that it's planning to roll out for PMO professionals here in China.

First, PMI's subsidiary PMO Global Alliance will introduce a PMOGA China Hub to foster a local PMO community and provide essential support services.

Then in 2025, it will launch the PMI PMO-Certified Practitioner certification in China to recognize the unique leadership skills PMO professionals need as their roles evolve.

The third offer is a PMO Practice Guide it plans to release next year. This guide will equip professionals with the practical tools, templates, resources, and recommendations needed to enhance the relevance and value of their PMOs.

To better fulfill its promise, Le Manh emphasized the necessity for transformation in project management across China and other countries amidst AI advancements.

"The transformations brought by AI are so massive that any economy right now has to adjust, any company has to adjust, and China just like everybody else," he noted.

PMI propelled the "PMIxAI" initiative in 2023 to facilitate global proficiency in AI-driven project management, which consists of thought leadership, educational courses, and AI-based platforms like "PMI Infinity".

To date, millions of professionals worldwide have engaged with PMI's AI thought leadership content,over 250,000 have taken PMI's AI courses, and 40,000 have utilized PMI's AI-based platform.

PMI will intensify its efforts to improve project management effectiveness, as AI is expected to have an increasingly profound impact on the industry. The goal is to ensure that every single project professional in the world is on the winning side of the AI revolution.