From November 12 to 15, 2025, the Project Management Institute (PMI) convened its flagship event, PMI Global Summit 2025, at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona, uniting thousands of project professionals from around the world under the theme “MORE, Together.” The Summit was designed to equip attendees, from aspiring project managers to senior executives, with the insights, tools, and connections needed to navigate a rapidly changing world, with a focus on collaboration, innovation, value delivery, and community impact.
A Global Gathering and a Diverse Agenda
The Summit welcomed more than 4,000 attendees and offered more than 120 learning sessions, workshops, and immersive experiences, organized around four tracks: Accelerate Your Career (foundational and advanced skills for early to mid-level professionals), Get Future Ready (AI, hybrid working models, agile, and industry-specific innovation), Lead the Way (leadership, strategy, change management, and organizational culture for senior practitioners), and Make an Impact (project management as a force for social good, sustainability, and value-based delivery). A new invitation-only Executive Track helped C-suite and senior leaders translate ambition into large-scale impact.
Keynotes and Inspirational Voices
Kim Scott, bestselling author and co-founder of Radical Candor LLC, opened the Summit on November 13, challenging attendees to lead with empathy, honesty, and accountability and to build trust-based teams that communicate boldly and compassionately. On Day Two, OK Go frontman Damian Kulash explored “The Art of Possibility: Creativity as a Project Leadership Skill,” reminding attendees that ambitious, complex projects demand imagination as well as discipline. Chef and humanitarian José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, closed the Summit with stories of compassion, community, and resilience, showing how project management principles apply to humanitarian work, social change, and rebuilding communities.
Major Announcements
In his opening remarks, PMI CEO Pierre Le Manh announced several major updates: the upcoming PMBOK® Guide, Eighth Edition, a refresh of the PMP® exam, and the expansion of PMI’s AI-powered tool, PMI Infinity, all reflecting a shift toward value-driven delivery, AI integration, and sustainability. A new certification tier, Advanced Project Professional, was also announced for leaders of high-risk, high-impact, high-complexity projects, with plans for the credential to be available in 2026.
Beyond the sessions, the Summit featured six excursions and off-site experiences, more than 21 networking meetups, and an exhibition hall showcasing the tools and innovations shaping project management workflows.
A Turning Point for the Profession
PMI Global Summit 2025 underscored a broader change in how the profession sees itself: from delivering outputs on time and on budget to delivering value, impact, and sustainability. At its core, the Summit embodied the idea that when project professionals come together, share knowledge, and commit to value and impact, they can shape a better future across industries, communities, and societies.
Featured in Newsletter Quarter 4, 2025