Muhammad Ali bin Yahya is an experienced project management professional with 18 years of progressive experience in the oil and gas industry, specialising in project planning and governance, project controls, cost management, and stakeholder engagement. He currently serves as Manager, Project Planning and Governance at Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM), PETRONAS, where he oversees planning, scheduling, budgeting, cost control and governance compliance for multiple Petroleum Agreement Contractors, including ExxonMobil, Hess and Shell. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated strong capability in ensuring full compliance with PETRONAS governance frameworks, Level of Authority, safety and health requirements, and regulatory approvals. His experience spans domestic and international upstream projects, including major development projects in Malaysia and Turkmenistan, where he played key roles in cost control, financial analysis, contractor claims verification and risk management. Muhammad Ali holds a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS and has completed Project Management Institute (PMI) training. His core strengths include project cost control, budgeting and phasing, resource planning, scheduling, procurement and contract management, making him a strong contributor to value assurance and disciplined project delivery across the upstream portfolio.

Adam joined APM (Association for Project Management) as CEO in September 2021 having previously held leadership roles in other membership associations, including six years as CEO of the National Association for Special Educational Needs. In addition to his role at APM, Adam has a diverse non-executive director portfolio supporting organisations and projects that benefit society. In 2022, Adam was awarded the OBE for services to children with special educational needs.

Dynamic adaptable and results-driven executive with global leadership experience across aerospace and construction industries. Recognised for driving strategic transformation, operational excellence in manufacturing and supply chain, and business value in complex environments using broad operational experience combined with P3M and PMO skills. Combines a proven track record of delivering large-scale cross-functional programmes >£500M with expertise in supply chain management, business integration, continuous improvement, and organisational change. An inspiring, system thinking leader skilled in aligning diverse teams and stakeholders, fostering collaboration, and building cultures of accountability to achieve enterprise-wide objectives. Adept at translating strategic vision into actionable plans, leveraging data-driven insights to drive performance, cost efficiency and customer focussed outcomes.

Yuting Chen brings deep insights into the construction industry, supported by an interdisciplinary background in Construction Project Management (PhD), Finance (CFA), and legal studies, including a PGDL Law Conversion at the University of Law and a Diploma in Adjudication from RICS. As a Senior Lecturer, she teaches Construction Planning, Project Management, and Production Management to both postgraduate and undergraduate students, and supervises six PhD candidates. As a researcher, her interests focus on contract management, project governance, dispute resolution, and the application of NLP in risk identification from contract documents. As a practitioner in the construction industry, she offers consulting services—including contract drafting, claim management, and dispute resolution—and delivers training as a FIDIC Certified Trainer of Fundamental Construction Contracts (V2).

Ariadna Grobério is an internationally recognized thought leader in project and program management, with over 25 years of experience leading transformative initiatives at the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital innovation, and strategic governance. As a Senior Project / Program Manager, she leads global programs focused on operational safety, regulatory compliance, and AI-driven innovation. A prominent voice in the global project management community, Ariadna serves as Vice President of the Project Management Institute (PMI) United Kingdom Chapter, where she advances professional development, standards innovation, and inclusive leadership. She is a co-author of the PMI Global Standards for Artificial Intelligence, helping shape how emerging technologies are integrated into modern project environments. Ariadna's career encompasses high-impact programs for government institutions, including initiatives supported by the International Monetary Fund, and national transformations in Brazil, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. Currently, she is a Project Manager at Microsoft. She is also a best-selling author, with published books on leadership and organizational transformation that have positively impacted and inspired the lives of many women navigating professional and personal transitions. Her writing brings together deep expertise and human insight, offering accessible guidance for thriving in times of change

Alexis has two decades of experience in project controls and transformation consulting. He has been involved in projects across Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia. Currently, Alexis serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Clayverest, a digital platform created for PMOs by PMOs, aimed at improving project controls efficiency. With an aerospace engineering degree from institutions in France and the USA, Alexis transitioned to Project Management early in his career. He furthered his education with MBA degrees from Columbia University and the London Business School. Outside of work, Alexis enjoys astrophotography with his two children, electronic music production and product design and prototyping.

Ben Fitzgerald is an Associate Director in AECOM Integrated Project Team, and Certified Professional with the ACostE. Ben has work in the field of project controls for over 15 years, using Project controls on major UK defence projects. More recently Ben has departed the civil service and is growing his breadth of experience in the delivery of project controls.

James Garner FRICS is Head of AI and Data at Gleeds, a global property and construction consultancy. With over 25 years in the built environment — starting as a Quantity Surveyor and progressing through senior cost management and sector leadership roles — James now leads Gleeds' AI strategy, data analytics, and digital transformation programme. He has built a bespoke AI language model trained on Gleeds' historical project data, deployed machine learning tools that forecast project timelines, costs, and performance, and established the Upskill Data Academy training staff in data literacy, automation, and generative AI through CITB apprenticeships. James is a Fellow of RICS, past Chair of the Project Data Analytics Task Force, a member of the APM Data and AI group, and contributed to the RICS Responsible Use of AI in Surveying guidance note. He was recognised in the DataIQ Top 100 People in Data 2023. James also founded Project Flux, a weekly podcast and newsletter with 100+ episodes exploring AI's impact on project delivery, featuring industry leaders across construction, infrastructure, and technology. He has spoken at London Build, Digital Construction Week, and internationally in Doha and Athens.

Jeremy has specialised in construction energy and engineering law and related matters for most of his career. An accredited adjudicator and member of the FIDIC President’s List of Dispute Adjudicators, he focusses on dispute avoidance and resolution where his experience spans litigation, arbitration (domestic and international), adjudication, DAB/DRB, mediation, early neutral evaluation and expert determination. He advises on all aspects of projects both at home and abroad, from initial procurement and strategic project advice to dispute avoidance and resolution and acts across a wide range of construction sectors in the UK and internationally, including general construction, transport, communications, process plant, oil, gas, nuclear and renewables. Recommended in the area of International Arbitration in Chambers UK and The Legal 500 UK, the Guides note his “spectacular knowledge of FIDIC” and Jeremy is described as “extremely committed and hard-working”, he “has great attention to detail and can always see the bigger picture, and he keeps really calm under pressure” and “quickly builds a rapport with clients and deservedly earns their respect.” Jeremy is listed as a leader in his field in Who’s Who Legal: Construction where he is praised by peers who highlight him as “an outstanding construction lawyer with impressive cross-border experience”.   Jeremy also has extensive experience of all principal main contracts including FIDIC, JCT, ICE, NEC, GC/Works, and IChemE and numerous bespoke forms used in international and domestic construction, energy and infrastructure projects.

Anil is passionate about Project Controls and working in multiple capacities for implementation and enhancement of this growing subject i.e., Managing Director of Projcon Group (Project Controls Consultancy), Founder of Project Controls Online (Global Project Controls e-network and knowledge base), Project Manager for Project Controls Expo (Largest Project Controls event/- show) and finally, Founder and Program Director at Project Controls Institute (Blended Project Controls learning platform), Anil's professional experience spans over 19 years at corporate and field offices offering diverse and in-depth exposure to implementation of Project Controls on a range of EPC Projects (Oil & Gas- upstream and downstream, CCU - Carbon Capture Units, Power Projects and Pipelines). Registrations, Certifications, Publications & Voluntary Contribution. IEng registration with Engineering Council, UK Holds Certified Cost Engineer (CCE) and Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP) certifications.

Mr. Moj Kesheh is a Senior Director at FTI Consulting, based in London, and an accredited expert witness with more than 22 years of experience in the construction industry. Mr. Kesheh specialises in analysing complex construction projects and providing expert opinion on critical path method scheduling, delay, productivity loss, damages, acceleration, cumulative impact, dispute resolution, and claims analysis. He regularly provides expert advisory services and evidence in adjudication, arbitration, mediation, and litigation. He applies his expertise both during and after the construction process to help owners, developers, contractors, designers, and sureties, as well as loss adjusters in insurance claims and lenders, understand project complexities and effectively avoid, mitigate, and resolve disputes. Mr. Kesheh is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a licensed Planning and Scheduling Professional (‘PSP’) with the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering (‘AACE’). He serves on AACE International’s Technical Board and is Vice Chair of the Claims & Dispute Resolution Subcommittee.

Pierre Le Manh is President and CEO of the Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s leading organization for project professionals, providing universally recognized professional certifications including the PMP, lifelong learning and development, and content platforms and resources to 40 million professionals in more than 200 countries. Since taking the helm in 2022, Pierre has led a broad transformation and expansion of PMI, positioning the organization at the forefront of the artificial intelligence revolution in project management. He defined a clear purpose and strategy, reignited growth, scaled operations, and strengthened PMI’s capabilities both organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions and partnerships. Before joining PMI, Pierre served as Global Deputy CEO and CEO North America of Ipsos, one of the world’s largest market research companies, where he led major transformations and integrations, establishing deep collaborations with leading technology companies and doubling profitability. Earlier in his career, he was successively CEO of a digital publishing company in France and Global CEO of Consodata, a European pioneer in data-driven marketing. He started his career as a management and technology consultant at Accenture. Pierre serves on the Advisory Board of the Global Peter Drucker Forum and as a French Foreign Trade Advisor to the French government. He is a dual American and French citizen, fluent in English, French, and Italian.

Sarah Levett is the PMO Control Room Lead at Laing O’Rourke, where she leads the Virtual Control Room, a PMO capability that has evolved to deliver integrated data-led insights into portfolio performance. Reporting to the Executive, the Virtual Control Room supports early warning, targeted intervention and strategic decision-making. A Chartered Civil Engineer, Sarah has over 10 years’ experience in construction delivery across the full life cycle. Her sector experience spans infrastructure, data centres, commercial mixed-use, aviation, life sciences and defence, and she has worked with teams across the UK, the Middle East and Australia. Sarah has led behavioural change and continuous improvement programmes that support business transformation and strategic initiatives. She builds momentum through stakeholder engagement and cross-disciplinary collaboration, while fostering a culture of psychological safety. Supported by her Level 5 Certificate in Effective Coaching, she empowers diverse teams to collaborate, develop and thrive. She is driven to be a change agent in the construction industry and recently completed a postgraduate Master of Studies in Construction Engineering at the University of Cambridge.

Milla began her railway career in 2005, initially working with Union Railways on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (now known as High Speed 1) and then with Network Rail, the railway infrastructure owner and operator for Great Britain. Over the years, Milla has focused on programme controls, planning, scheduling, and integration in the railway industry. In her current role in Wales & Western Region, Milla is leading initiatives in project data analytics across the capital delivery portfolio. Milla is a keen volunteer, having supported the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways as a permanent way worker, the Royal Academy of Engineering with project CARE, as well as the Association for Project Management (APM) in a variety of roles. Her work with Network Rail and the Royal Academy of Engineering was recognised with the honour of a British Empire Medal. Within APM, Milla has been a passionate and active volunteer, joining the Planning, Monitoring & Control SIG in 2014 and becoming the group’s chair in 2016. That same year, Milla was elected as a charity trustee of APM, where she has served on all board committees. Most recently, in 2022, Milla was elected as the chair of the APM board, concluding her term in 2025. In 2024, Milla was also appointed as a Non-Executive Director of GCH Ltd, an independent housing association dedicated to providing affordable homes and building successful communities. Milla’s passion is for innovation and lifelong learning; she will either be found working, volunteering, or learning something new.

Prof. Eddie Obeng, MAPM, MBA, PhD “Stay in your lane” is a phrase used to dissuade people from straying from a single area of expertise, but when it comes to Prof. Eddie Obeng, that advice is probably a bit late. As a business educator and digital pioneer, he created Pentacle The Virtual Business School, and its innovative avatar-based campus, QUBE. "The most human-centred virtual campus for teaching global executives." The Wall Street Journal As a keynote speaker, his TED talks have scored millions of views. "Eddie is human-Red Bull…" Red Bull As a researcher, he was awarded the Sir Monty Finniston Award for contributions to project management. His over 400 Performance Enhancement Tools (PETs) are used widely across top enterprises and the public sector. “On QUBE, a project which would have taken months took weeks, and the cost was similarly reduced!” NHS As an author, Eddie’s ten books include two Financial Times bestsellers. All Change! The Secret Art of Transformation, Perfect Projects and Change Management – In the 1990s, this book popularised project management and kicked off its growth and professionalising. Formerly at Shell and Ashridge, Eddie holds two patents in Biochemical Engineering, and is a qualified helicopter pilot

Filipe Passos is the Director of Project Controls at Tetra Tech, leading integrated and digital project controls across major infrastructure and capital programmes spanning Defence, Nuclear, Energy & Utilities, Transport, Government Services, Residential and Property sectors. With a background in civil engineering and extensive experience across public and private environments, he aligns project, programme and portfolio delivery with strategic outcomes through structured governance, cost engineering, risk management and performance assurance. He specialises in advancing Digital Project Controls, integrating data engineering, automation, business intelligence and AI-driven predictive analytics to enhance schedule reliability, commercial visibility and portfolio optimisation. His focus is on establishing enterprise-level “Mission Control” environments that provide a single source of truth and enable confident, evidence-based executive decision-making. Filipe builds high-performing, multidisciplinary teams and embeds scalable PMO and controls frameworks that improve baseline integrity, strengthen change control and drive sustainable performance across complex, regulated environments

Head of Project Controls and Project Controls on the A57 with over 18 years’ experience delivering complex highways and infrastructure programmes. Currently with Balfour Beatty Highways, she has held senior roles spanning programme productivity, operational excellence, industrialised construction strategy, and major project delivery on nationally significant schemes including the A14 Huntingdon to Cambridge Improvement. Nicole is recognised for leading large, multidisciplinary teams and supply chains to deliver predictable outcomes through Lean, collaborative working, and datadriven decisionmaking. A core strength of her leadership is quality transformation, embedding a Right First Time culture that reduces rework, eliminates waste, and improves certainty of delivery by integrating quality, productivity, risk, and operational fundamentals from the outset. Through standardisation, errorproofing, and continuous improvement, she has consistently improved production predictability, reduced cost and carbon, and enhanced value for clients. Known for driving cultural change, Nicole champions safety and quality as nonnegotiables, creating high performing environments where teams deliver the right outcome, in the right way, first time.

Jo Dourou Schrader is a Strategic PMO Director and transformation leader with over 15 years of experience building and leading high-impact PMO and portfolio management functions across global organisations. She currently serves as Global Head of PPMO at Tesco, where she leads enterprise portfolio governance across multiple technology and finance portfolios, overseeing a £100m investment roadmap and enabling data-driven strategic decision making. Jo has successfully built and scaled PMO capabilities in organisations including Tesco, Micro Focus, Cynergy Bank, Ocado and the Financial Times, delivering measurable improvements in forecasting accuracy, governance maturity and strategic alignment. Her work has consistently helped organisations realise 5–15% cost efficiencies while strengthening portfolio visibility and decision cycles. Alongside her corporate leadership role, Jo is the founder of Eudemonia Coaching, where she has coached more than 200 professionals across 14 countries. She is passionate about developing PMO professionals and enabling teams to evolve from governance-focused functions into strategic partners that drive organisational value. Jo regularly contributes to the global PMO community as a conference speaker, industry judge and ambassador for PMO professional networks.

Sarah Schütte is a London-based practising Solicitor-Advocate, CEDR and CMC Registered Mediator, CEDR Early Neutral Evaluator, trainer and facilitator. She has specialised in construction and engineering projects, infrastructure and technology for 25 years. She is a PMI CAPM® and Co-Founder of Peridot Consulting International LLP. Sarah’s tripartite legal career makes her well-rounded: early years in law firms in the North and the City, 10 years in-house senior counsel in public and private sectors, and since 2014 an independent consultant. Her field experience translates to pragmatic legal support, focussing on breaking down complexities to the practical and purposeful. Sarah has wide experience in collaborative contracts and partnering/ alliancing, illustrates contract processes visually, and has a keen eye for a holistic whole-life approach. She deploys a technical dimension to her work, and as Mediator and ENE she is known for her solutions-driven conflict resolution focus and ‘rolled-up sleeves’ attitude. Her site boots are always to hand! Volunteer at PMI, APM, local schools, university, and Enactus competitions. Ex-school governor (8 years). Sarah currently supports a women-led retrofit hub and is a popular industry interviewee, and conference and panel speaker. Nominee Inspirational Business Woman in STEM 2025 and APM Volunteer of the Year 2021.

Dr Sheldon joined the MoD following a degree in Chemistry at Edinburgh University in 1993 and a PhD in Organic Chemistry at Oxford University in 1996. His initial appointments were; MoD Procurement Executive, MoD Centre and the Defence Engineering and Research Agency (DERA), followed by a 2-year project management post at the Defence Procurement Agency. In 2001 he joined the Defence Fixed Networks (DFN) Integrated Project Team (IPT) at the Defence Communications Services Agency (DCSA), becoming the Assistant Director for the DCSA change programme in 2004. In 2006, Dr Sheldon moved to the Defence Logistics Organisation, to establish and lead the Defence Logistics Performance Management Programme (DLPM), then to the Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) Performance Delivery Improvement (PDI) team, working directly to the DE&S Chief Operating Officer. In August 2010, Dr Sheldon became the Head of Cost Assurance and Analysis Service (CAAS) team. He next led the establishment of the new DE&S Project Controls function, playing a critical role in enabling DE&S Transformation, which became operational in April 2017. In April 2018, Dr Sheldon became the Head of Submarine Production responsible for the delivery of the Astute Boats 4-7 from build into service. Advancing to become the Director of Submarine Acquisition, responsible for the acquisition of all Royal Navy submarines including the Astute, Dreadnought and SSN (Nuclear submarine) AUKUS programmes (A defence and security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.). In April 2024, Dr Sheldon became the 2* Chief Delivery Officer at Dstl. Supporting the Chief Executive to ensure the delivery of the complex portfolio of defence and security work as the Dstl executive sponsor of the project delivery function, coordinating and managing the work across the Dstl Science & Technology (S&T) delivery units. He is also responsible for; implementing a successful single front door

An experienced project professional with experience in public, private, and not-for-profit sectors and a Chartered Project Professional currently leading a complex programme of work to prepare EDF's advanced gas cooled reactors for defueling. An introvert who has found ways to work with others and lead teams of people with empathy and understanding while ensuring projects and programme activity is delivered to a high standard

Richard Smart took up his current role as Director Project Delivery in DE&S Systems Integration in October 2024. His previous senior leadership roles have involved delivery at Director-level in Army HQ, MOD Head Office and DE&S. His portfolio, programme and project management experience started with equipment planning and investment approvals in MOD Head Office for the RAF in the early 1990s. He then moved into a series of roles involving complex equipment delivery and equipment support with the Hercules C-130J, C-17 and A400M transport aircraft programmes, communication systems for the Fire and Rescue Services and weapon systems across the breadth of UK Defence (maritime, land and air). Most recently, he worked on artillery and air defence capabilities across all Defence Lines of Development as a Senior Responsible Owner in Army HQ. Like many of the people working in the MOD, Richard also has substantial experience of business change. He was an internal consultant on the Integrated Project Team rollout programme as part of the MOD’s Smart Acquisition Initiative in the late 1990s; he completed a review of equipment acquisition in the Japan Defence Agency while on secondment in Tokyo; he led the Defence Procurement Agency’s portfolio management office; and he was the Programme Director supporting the DE&S Executive on the DE&S Material Strategy. Between 2020 and 2022, he was Transformation Director in MOD Head Office, leading portfolio management of a suite of pan-Defence change programmes.

Steve is Chairman of the Management Standards committee of the British Standards Institution responsible for Project Programme and Portfolios. A specification standard for Project Controls is published this year and Estimating is next. .He works with government, national and international bodies and academia as a subject matter expert as well as on matters of governance. With his Guild of Educators hat on he is working to produce a GCSE in Project skills. He is also transforming ACOSTE to the Controls and Skills Authority. Steve's life-long passion for all kinds of music is still matched by his continued appreciation of silence. His main aim is to work on things that have a purpose and use and to get them done!