PMI hosting 17th Annual Project Management Conference

News Release
For Immediate use

PMI New Zealand hosting 17th Annual Project Management Conference

More than 250 delegates from New Zealand's leading organisations converge on Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand - July 5, 2011 –

New Zealand's leading project managers are gathering in Auckland to attend the New Zealand Chapter of the Project Management Institute's (PMINZ) 17th Annual National Project Management Conference at the Langham Hotel, starting today and running through until Thursday.

The conference, themed 'Innovate to Succeed', draws together more than 250 delegates from New Zealand's leading organisations - including Fonterra, Datacom, IAG, Kordia, Auckland and Wellington Councils and Telecom New Zealand. Attendees will gather helpful insights, make new contacts, and leave the event with ideas for immediate implementation into their day-to-day roles. PMI believes professional project management delivers a competitive advantage by increasing project efficiencies, aligning projects with organisational goals and improving stakeholder satisfaction and decision making.

Heading a list of local and international speakers is PMI President and CEO Mark A. Langley, who will deliver a keynote address at 9:30am tomorrow, Wednesday, July 6. Langley's presentation, titled "The Strategic PMO," will discuss the importance of the Project Management Office (PMO) and the tangible results PMOs can bring to an organisation. Langley will help attendees define a strategic PMO, and then provide insights into project management best practice, drawing on PMI's global research which shows that, on average, organisations waste US$350,000 of every US$1 million spent on projects.

"What makes a PMO strategic is not its structure or formal role within an organisation, but what it does," says Langley. "Does it help the organisation select, balance and resource projects? Does it foster the growth of project management maturity? Does it deliver efficiencies of scale in shared support for multiple projects and programs?"

Langley says the conference gives delegates the chance to mingle with some of the world's best and brightest project managers.

"New Zealand produces some of the world's best project managers, and one only has to look at our international board as evidence," he says. "Iain Fraser, who now heads Project Plus, is a former chairman of the board, and business consultant, Stephen Harrison of Harrison International, is a former board member. In addition, Auckland-based portfolio manager, Jane Farley, who works for Auckland Council in the role of City Transformation Portfolio Manager, is a current member of the board. The influence and expertise of these people has ensured the world looks to New Zealand for leadership in project management."

Also delivering keynote presentations at the conference are:

* Stephen Mockett, COO, Bank of New Zealand, will explore innovation in the corporate world, referencing the bank's work on credit card security, and also speak about motivating staff and improving personal satisfaction - a key ingredient for business success.

* Kevin Cameron, television executive, director and producer, will speak about the innovative production approach SKY TV has adopted in broadcasting the upcoming Rugby World Cup. All eyes will be on New Zealand in September, and Cameron will take attendees through how SKY will provide live coverage of all 48 matches, in high definition, from 12 venues, over seven weeks, to a worldwide audience of four billion people. His presentation will continue a rugby theme at the conference, following behind-the-scenes tour of Eden Park - New Zealand's largest stadium and one of the main venues for the tournament.

* Project management guru and author, Peter Taylor, will speak about the art of productive laziness, referencing his book, 'The Lazy Project Manager'. Taylor will help attendees understand what is meant by the 'productive lazy' approach to projects (and life), and learn how to apply these lessons 'to be twice as productive and still leave the office early'.

The conference also includes PMINZ's third annual Project Management Awards, which recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements in the project management profession in New Zealand. Finalists for the six categories have been selected, and the awards will be presented at the conference dinner on Wednesday tomorrow.

The award categories are: Project of the Year, Project Manager of the Year, Emerging Project Manager of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, the Research Achievement Award, and the Public Sector Project of the Year. Previous winners include: 2010 Project of the Year, New Zealand Customs Service SmartGate project; 2010 Project Manager of the Year, Byron Ruff of Wellington City Council; 2010 Emerging Project Manager of the Year, Della Cole of Livestock Improvement; 2010 Research Achievement Award recipients Dr Dirk Pons, Professor John Raine and Volker Wochele of the University of Canterbury; and 2010 Volunteer of the Year, Caroline Donovan.
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