Monday marked the start of the two-day Global Project Management Forum (GPMF 2023) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia under the theme “Project Management Ecosystem: The Journey to Excellence,” with Eng. Abdullah Ibrahim Al-Abdul-Karim, Governor of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), in attendance together with over 10,000 participants from 100 countries to discuss the future trends in project management and their impact on further enhancing the global sustainability system.
GPMF 2023, organized by the Project Management Institute - Saudi Arabia Chapter (PMI-KSA), has the Public Investment Fund and the SWCC as Strategic Partners and a number of local and international companies as Sponsors. Happening at Fairmont Riyadh, the first day of the Forum witnessed an impressive turnout of government officials, regional and global experts, project managers, professionals, decision-makers, and thought leaders from around the world.
Expressing his pride and appreciation, Al-Abdul-Karim noted the high level of efficiency demonstrated by the young national talents and leaders in the field of project management.
In his Opening Speech, Engineer Badr M. Burshaid, President of PMI-KSA and the GPMF, emphasized that the goals of the Forum are aimed at contributing to the achievement and success of the Saudi Vision 2030 by introducing new areas of economic activity and driving the wheel of economic development forward. According to Burshaid, he takes pride in the Forum’s rapid growth and significant achievements since its launch.
“At GPMF, we aim to broaden our partnerships with the leaders of success, change, and project management, and today we are honored to welcome more than 10,000 visitors from 100 countries, 80 speakers and industry experts, and partnerships with over 20 government and private institutions. This is in contrast to last year’s participation of 17 countries, 48 speakers, and 3,000 attendees,” Burshaid said, adding that he commends the successful partnership between the Kingdom and the Republic of South Korea, this year’s Country of Honor, in the field of project management that paved the way for innumerable opportunities that contribute to the growth of the sector and attract promising Korean companies.
South Korean Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Park Joon-yong expressed his happiness and gratitude for participating in the Forum. He highlighted the rapid progress that the Kingdom has undergone in recent decades, from infrastructure development and major projects implementation, to attracting foreign investments and facilitating business practices. Accompanied by several attendees, Park toured the exhibition and visited the booths of various exhibitors. He listened to representatives’ explanations about the latest and most innovative trends and practices in the field of project management.
The GPMF agenda includes various dialogue and technical sessions, keynote speeches, and networking meetings and activities, in addition to the main exhibition.
There were two panel sessions held on the first day of the Forum – “The Ecosystem of Giga Projects” and “Organizational Transformation, is it Digital or Cultural?” The technical sessions, meanwhile, tackled “Digital Transformation and Project Management,” “Transformation in Aviation Industry: Saudi Airlines Group Case,” “Eco-friendly Mix-Use Tourism Projects” as well as “Riyadh Sustainability Journey in Construction.” The day also witnessed the signing of Memoranda of Understanding and the honoring of the event’s Sponsors.
