This presentation covers the 10 years since the inception of ICCPM, and improvements in the delivery of complex projects. However, the role of contracts has been identified as contributing to the challenges of successfully delivering complex endeavours. Findings from a series of ’roundtable discussions’ between ICCPM and IACCM members suggest how improvements could be identified and barriers overcome in order to achieve further gains in delivery performance.

Complex projects need leaders with different skills. The 2018 International Centre for Complex Project Management (ICCPM) International Roundtable Series brought together senior practitioners and leading academics to explore Project Leadership: The Game Changer in Large Scale Complex Projects.
The outcomes report from this thought leadership initiative was launch on the 13 June 2019. It includes insights which help organisations stay at the forefront of successful complex project delivery. ICCPM CEO, Collin Smith will present the key insights from this report.

This presentation uses real examples to explore what makes a project, program or portfolio complex, and the implications for their delivery. It provides an update on ICCPM’s review of the Project Categorisation Framework (PCAT) and the upcoming release of the new Complex Project Leadership Competency Standards, and present examples of their application. Demonstrating the difference between Simple, Complicated, Complex and Chaotic project contexts and the implications for project delivery, and the importance of the skills and knowledge outlined in the Complex Project Leadership Standards.

The best way for the construction industry to safeguard the environment and be responsible partners in sustainable development is to transition to net-zero carbon project management (NZPM) practices. Consequently, governments and other construction stakeholders’ efforts have recently intensified to encourage project managers to adopt net-zero approaches in projects. This urgency arises from the construction industry’s significant carbon emissions, adversely affecting water, climate, and soil. Although strategies exist to minimise the carbon emissions in projects, past industry reports and literature have minimally addressed the competencies necessary for project managers (PMs) to lead, plan, manage, and reduce emissions in construction projects. Therefore, this report aims to explore the critical roles of PMs in delivering net-zero projects and develop a net-zero project management competency maturity model. The study adopted mixed methodologies such as literature review, questionnaire survey and expert forum. The questionnaire survey was used to ascertain project managers’ critical net zero roles and the critical NZPM competencies. The expert forum with ten experienced practitioners was used to develop a robust maturity model for NZPM. Results indicate that the major roles played by PM in delivering net-zero projects are: Development of net-zero carbon project implementation plan and timeline, defining net-zero carbon project scope levels, Development of net-zero carbon risk management strategies, utilising net-zero carbon construction materials and Continuous monitoring of net-zero carbon performance. Further, PMs’ five most critical competencies to manage net-zero projects are net-zero carbon and sustainability benefits management, net-zero procurement management, quality assurance and verification of net-zero transactions, change management towards climate adaptation and schedule and roadmap management towards net-zero.

Based on the derived competencies, a maturity model with three maturity levels was developed. With the maturity model, PMs can accurately assess their NZPM competency through three 6 levels of maturity progress, i.e. beginner, competent, and expert. The outputs of this study will inform practitioners of their roles in delivering net-zero projects, and more importantly, the maturity model will enable project managers and professional organisations to develop competency programs for delivering net-zero project management.

As projects grow in complexity, scale, and strategic importance, the limitations of traditional project management become increasingly evident. Today’s delivery environments demand more than technical expertise—they require leaders who can think systemically, act strategically, and adapt dynamically.

This presentation explores the emergence of Complex Project Leadership (CPL) as a distinct professional competence in complex project management, underpinned by the recently endorsed ICCPM Competency Standards. These standards represent a paradigm shift: from managing tasks to leading transformation, from controlling processes to enabling innovation. Not only are they critical for navigating today’s project environments but also form the foundation for a professional certification pathway and other tools and frameworks as part of a larger ecosystem that recognises complex project leadership as a distinct and vital discipline.

We will examine:
• The systemic challenges facing complex projects across government and industry.
• The leadership capabilities essential for navigating ambiguity, stakeholder complexity, and emergent risks.
• A framework for assessing project complexity.
• The role of a multiple-perspectives CPL 360° leadership behaviours profile.
• The role of CPL certification in building a skilled, mobile, and future-ready workforce.

By embracing Complex Project Management as a profession, organisations can unlock new levels of performance, resilience, and strategic value in their project and programs.