More than 2,000 industry experts and thought leaders from the Middle East region took part in a key summit in Dubai to discuss ways to execute smart, sustainable and innovative project management practices to ensure successful outcomes.

The Dubai International Project Management Forum, which kicked off on December 7,
It was organised by Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) in co-operation with Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa), Emaar Properties, Project Management Institute (PMI) and DP World at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.

The event saw project management experts and thought leaders discuss ways to execute smart, sustainable and innovative project management practices to ensure successful outcomes.

According to region-specific data from PMI’s 2019 Pulse survey, organisations in the Middle East waste an average of $104 million for every $1 billion spent on projects due to poor project performance.

While this is an improvement compared to the global average of $119 million for every $1 billion spent, the Middle East’s many mega projects create an immense opportunity for practitioners and leaders to streamline their efforts and use best practices to ensure projects are completed on-time, on-budget, and within scope, stated the report.

“As the global economy becomes more ‘projectized’ and requires new ways of working, this impressive event could not come at a more crucial time,” remarked Sunil Prashara, the president and CEO of Project Management Institute.

“Forum organizers and participants recognize that it’s more important than ever for project professionals to transform complex ideas and strategy into reality – as there are major business implications when strategy and execution are not directly linked,” stated Prashara.

Prashara’s keynote titled “Future Trends in Project Management” explored what project professionals can expect in the years to come.

He highlighted the importance of strategy execution and why organizations fail to deliver on their strategy, how practitioners and leaders alike can be prepared to power The Project Economy, the increasing value of agility, and more.
 
Mark Lines, Vice President of PMI’s recently acquired Disciplined Agile, also spoke at the event. He was taking part in a parallel discussion titled “Hybrid PM.”

Lines is the co-creator of the Disciplined Agile toolkit; co-author of several books on Disciplined Agile; and has more than 25 years of experience helping organizations around the world to be successful with project delivery using Agile, Lean, Traditional, and Hybrid approaches.

To complement Lines’ expertise, the two-hour session also featured project management thought leader Paul Hodgkins and Global Innovation Strategist Dr Al Zeitoun.
 
Commenting on DIPMF partnership, Grace Najjar, the newly-appointed managing director of PMI (Mena) said: "Dubai is seen as the City of the Future and continues to chart a bold course for the future. While as a country, the UAE has embarked on many mega projects that command global attention and position it as a leader in agility, planning, and execution."

"Therefore, it is fitting that PMI take part in such a prestigious event as this is an important region for us to serve," he added.-TradeArabia News Service