Global Engagement and Regions
In respect to Global Engagement, 2020 was about getting closer to our stakeholders. Far from slowing down because of the pandemic, we accelerated the pace of transformation, putting in place our regional organizational structure and further evolving into a digital-first organization.
Our new regional hub-and-spoke operating model combines centralized systems and data with regional insight teams to enhance not only our global reach but our local impact. We’re seeing new dynamism across PMI as our eight regional managers engage more closely with our chapters and stakeholder communities around the world.
As we look to 2021, we aim to build on the groundwork we laid in 2020 – to deepen our relationship with all our stakeholders and to provide the tools and resources they need to enhance their impact in a changing world.
Global Reach
One of PMI's top priorities has been to establish a regional operating model in order to move more decision making closer to communities around the globe. Thanks to the leadership of our Regional Managing Directors, we continued to sense and respond to the unique market situations across the regions.
PMI 8 World Regions

“In 2020, the China region kept strong development in terms of PMI credential business and finalized around 110,000 new testers with PMP. The China PMP population reached up to 450,000 in total by the end of 2020.”
– Bob Chen, PMI Managing Director, China

“2020 was tough for the MENA economies due to a crash in oil prices in March and has since only recovered marginally due to the continued poor demand in transportation and aviation globally due to COVID-19. OPEC called it 'the sharpest downturn in energy and oil demand in living memory.'
The poor economic situation and the fear of losing jobs have created a need for professional education - project management is seen as a future skill to drive successful results. We have witnessed the evidence that talent is the fuel of tomorrow - and PMI is the trusted partner for skilling and upskilling.”
– Grace Naijar, PMI Managing Director, MENA
“John Deere has been a PMI council member since 2014. The opportunity to interact with other council members and to learn from our combined experience keeps us tuned into industry trends and best practices. PMI membership also gives us access to relevant research, benchmarking tools and the ability to pilot new initiatives.”
Chris Bering
Manager, Enterprise Product Engineering
John Deere
"Saudi Aramco prides itself on being part of an elite global executive council that aims to excel the project management profession. We believe in the council’s mission to advocate the betterment of the profession by engaging in different international venues to share insight, best practices and recent process and technology trends."
Badr M. Burshaid
Program Director, Marjan & Zuluf Increment Program
Saudi Aramco
PMI Awards

2020 PMI Project of the Year
Turkey-based TANAP Natural Gas Transmission Co.’s project was bestowed with the PMI Project of the Year Award in a virtual event held on October 20, 2020.
Every year, PMI presents the award for best project as part of its PMI Professional Awards. The award recognizes project excellence, considering project size, complexity and budget as well as project management practices, organizational results and social impact.

2020 PMO of the Year
PMO of the Year Award– This award honors a Project Management Office (PMO) that has added value to its organization through its support of successful strategic initiatives and demonstrated superior organizational project management capabilities. It also recognizes a PMO that has established a vision for value delivery and has had a positive and clear impact on business results.
DC Water - IT Project Management Office, based in Washington, DC, USA, was the recipient of the 2020 PMO of the Year Award.
2020 Fellows
The PMI Fellow Award is PMI’s highest and most prestigious individual award, recognizing and honoring PMI members who have made sustained and significant contributions to the project management profession and the Institute for more than a decade.
Marge Combe
PMI Fellow, 2020
Marge Combe is currently retired, though spends time coaching nonprofit leaders pro bono. She began her first professional career as a computer programmer for a financial services company in her home town of Milwaukee, WI, USA. Over her early career she worked for three large companies managing projects. She then moved into corporate strategy work, linking strategy to projects, and later instituted change management as part of both strategy and projects. In her second career, after retirement, she has done professional coaching, helping executives to be effective leaders. She enjoys complex needlework, travel and spending time with her French husband and daughters.

Dr. Prasad S. Kodukula, PMP, PgMP
PMI Fellow, 2020
Dr. Prasad S. Kodukula, PMP, PgMP, is a global project management thought leader, PMO advisor, speaker, coach, inventor, and entrepreneur. He has taught project management in nearly 50 countries. He has worked with more than 40 Fortune 100 companies, the World Bank, United Nations, and several U.S. government agencies. He holds an adjunct faculty position at the University of Chicago. Dr. Kodukula has received numerous prestigious awards from PMI, USEPA, and the States of Kansas and Illinois for outstanding achievements in education, training, and technology innovation. He is a co-author or contributing author of eight books and more than 40 articles and holds four patents.
