From Executors to Influencers: The new skills project managers need beyond tech

A new Project Management Institute (PMI) report says that high-performing organisations are not defined by the most sophisticated tools, but by how project professionals manage alignment, stakeholder expectations, and collaboration. As companies expand investments in AI, digital transformation, infrastructure, and renewable energy, PMI argues that project managers must take on bigger roles beyond scheduling and budgeting. The report found that 97% of project professionals managed at least one complex project in the past year, and 81% said complexity is increasing, particularly in South Asia amid large-scale transformations involving multiple teams and stakeholders. It highlights sponsor alignment at the beginning as the most effective practice for handling complexity, alongside phased stakeholder engagement that revisits priorities as conditions change. The findings position project managers increasingly as influencers.