Project Management Institute Announces 2026 PMI® Awards Winners, Honoring Excellence Across the Global Project Profession

Detroit, Michigan

Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s leading authority for project professionals, revealed the winners of the 2026 PMI® Awards during a special celebration at PMI® Global Summit in Detroit, Michigan. This year's winners represent an extraordinary community of changemakers whose projects, leadership, and contributions are advancing organizations, strengthening communities, and creating lasting impact around the world.

These prestigious honors celebrate the individuals, teams, chapters, and organizations whose passion, innovation, and commitment to project excellence are driving meaningful impact and shaping how the future gets made.

Honoring Excellence Across the Profession

Since 1974, PMI has recognized those advancing the project management profession through vision, leadership, and results. This year’s honorees reflect the full diversity and global reach of the community – from rising leaders and world-class PMOs to researchers, volunteers, and chapters.

"Projects are how change is made," said Brantlee Underhill, Chief Community Officer at PMI. "That's why we recognize and celebrate the people, projects, and organizations doing this exceptional, meaningful work. Project professionals make it possible to turn strategy into reality, delivering outcomes that benefit people and society."

PMI® Awards 2026 Winners:

PMI® Project of the Year Award Finalists:

The highest honor, recognizing a single project leading the way in the project management profession through excellence, innovation, collaboration, and positive social impact.

• PMI® Project of the Year Winner: Construction: Hawiyah Unayzah Gas Reservoir Storage Program (Saudi Arabia)

Category Winners:

• Social: Advancing Accessibility & Inclusion at PUMB (Ukraine)
• Construction: Hawiyah Unayzah Gas Reservoir Storage Program (Saudi Arabia)
• Sustainability: Irrigation Water Consumption Rationalization and Efficiency Improvement Project (Saudi Arabia)
• Technology: Florence Copper: Next-Generation In‑Situ Copper Recovery (North America)

PMI® Eric Jenett Person of the Year Award:

Recognizing individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the project management profession:

• Winner: Fernando Romero, PMI-PMOCP, CSPP, DASSM, CAPM

PMI® Rising Leader Award:

Honoring early-career professionals who are already making significant impacts in project management:

• Winner: Rishab Vardhan Harikrishnan

• Finalists:

• Reed "Jimi" Schafer, MBA, PMP 
• Daniel Eagling, PMP
• Olivier Jackson, PMP, CAPM 
• Giulia Morello
• Rishab Vardhan Harikrishnan

PMI® Fellow Award Honorees:

The highest and most prestigious honor awarded by PMI, recognizing long-standing service and leadership within the profession:

Winner: 

• Dr. Lambert Ofoegbu, PMP, PMI-RMP, PMI-SCP 

PMIEF Kerzner Award for Project Management Excellence in Social Impact:

Recognizing a project manager whose superior performance and outstanding application of project management methods, skills, and techniques have made a significant impact across business, government, community, or not-for-profit sectors.

• Winner: Rahim Thompson, PMP 

PMO of the Year® Award:

Honoring PMOs that exemplify excellence in performance, leadership, and value delivery.

World PMO of the Year: Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development  (Saudi Arabia) 

Regional Winners:

• Middle East PMO of the Year: Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development - Saudi Arabia 
• Europe PMO of the Year: Eczacıbaşı Information and Communication Technologies 
• Africa PMO of the Year: MTN Ghana
• Asia Pacific PMO of the Year: A*STAR SIMTech & ARTC
• The Americas PMO of the Year: Banreservas 

PMI® Research and Academic Awards:

Honoring individuals and published works worldwide that significantly advance practical and theoretical practices of project management.

• PMI Research Achievement Award: Celebrating an individual whose work has significantly advanced the concepts, knowledge, and practices of Project Management through a published body of academic research. 
  • Prof. Lavagnon Ika
• PMI Young Researcher Award: Celebrating emerging leaders in the academic field of project, program, and/or portfolio management with potential to make a significant impact on the field and practice. 
  • Dr. Carolina Melecardi Zani 
• James R. Snyder Student Paper of the Year Award: Recognizing excellence in student development of original concepts in Project Management that advance the concepts, tools, and techniques of managing project-oriented tasks. 
  • Zhiwen "Zoey" Zheng 
• PMI Linn Stuckenbruck Teaching Excellence Award: Honoring faculty members for excellence in teaching project management curricula in higher education.
  • Prof. Ibrahim Odeh 
• Donald S. Barrie Award: Recognizing those who advance knowledge in the field of design, procurement, and/or construction by providing practical contributions and solutions to the engineering and construction industry.
  • Chan Heo 
• PMI David I. Cleland Project Management Literature Award: Honoring the author(s) of a published book that significantly advances project management knowledge, concepts, and practice.
  • Prof. Alejandro Romero-Torres
  • Prof. Shankar Sankaran 
  • Prof. Joseph Griffin 

PMI® Chapter of the Year Award:

Celebrating the achievements of PMI chapters that show exceptional leadership, innovation, and contributions to the project management profession.

• Winner: PMI Greece Chapter 

Regional Finalists: 

• Sydney, Australia Chapter (Asia Pacific)
• Greece Chapter (Europe)
• Pernambuco, Brazil Chapter (Latin America)
• UAE Chapter (MENA)
• Mile-Hi Chapter (North America)
• Bangladesh Chapter (South Asia)
• Ghana Chapter (Sub-Saharan Africa)

Chapter Leadership Impact Award Winners:

Recognizes exceptional leadership and volunteer contributions made by PMI chapter leaders to enhance their chapter or mentor region.

• Gantsetseg Erdenebat – Mongolia Chapter (Asia Pacific)
• Andrii Skoromnyi – Ukraine Chapter (Europe)
• Antonio Maturano Huerta – Bajío, México Chapter (Latin America)
• Mouna Zbidi – Tunisia Chapter (MENA)
• Beaula Prashanth – Lakeshore, Ontario Chapter (North America)
• Vijay Narayanan – Chennai Chapter (South Asia)
• Winnie Astrid Zambo Asso'o – Cameroon Chapter (Sub-Saharan Africa)

For more information about the PMI® Awards program, visit pmi.org/about/awards.

About Project Management Institute (PMI)

PMI is the leading authority in project success. Since 1969, PMI has shone a light on the people and advanced practices behind successful projects. Supported by a global community of millions of project professionals and by thousands of corporations, government agencies and academic institutions, PMI provides the knowledge, resources and certifications to lead projects and transformations effectively and responsibly. Join PMI in elevating our world – one project at a time. Connect with us at www.pmi.org, linkedin.com/company/projectmanagementinstitute, on Instagram @pmi_org, and on TikTok @PMInstitute

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