09/19/2025
Shaping the Future, Not Just Managing It
Room 6
3:00 – 3:45 pm
Discover how trends are transforming project management and what new responses are needed from SME teams.
Description:
Digitalization, AI, skills shortages, and shifting values: the project management of the future will be more strategic, interconnected, and complex. A Delphi study involving professionals from the German SME sector reveals the direction of change: agile and hybrid methods are becoming standard, data literacy is emerging as a key skill, and leadership is being redefined.
Project leaders will take on more than just planning and coordination. They will drive transformation, foster purpose, and ensure sustainable outcomes. Six major megatrends will shape the way we work: from AI and automation to virtual leadership and the balance between efficiency and humanity.
Key Takeaways:
Find out which skills project leaders will need in the future and how to prepare your company and team. The results provide concrete guidance for training, strategic planning, and future-ready leadership models.
All Participants will Receive the Academic Paper:
What Will Project Management Look Like in 2035? An Empirical Study Based on SMEs in Germany.
Jochen Mai
Jochen Mai is Head of Project Management at Carl Zeiss AG and has more than 15 years of experience leading complex industrial and transformation projects. He is IPMA® Level B – Certified Senior Project Manager and has completed an extensive leadership program. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in the DBA program at Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, focusing on the future of project management in complex systems.
