About this Presentation
The APM (Association for Project Management) is a UK-based professional body for project management. Established in 1972, today the APM has over 45,000 individual members and more than 470 corporate partnerships.
In this Keynote Discussion, Adam Boddison and Sue Simmonite will discuss the role of professional bodies and senior executives in identifying and communicating good project management practices, as well as the challenges of balancing standardization with innovation.
Adam is the APM’s CEO, and Sue is both Deputy Chair of the APM Board. In her day job, she serves as the Global Project Management & Control Director for BAE Systems, a FTSE 100 global aerospace & defense company.
What Will You Learn
To help you get the most value from this session, we’ve highlighted a few key points. These takeaways capture the main ideas and practical insights from the presentation, making it easier for you to review, reflect, and apply what you’ve learned.
Why Balancing Standardization and Innovation Matters for Project Success
How to Standardize Without Stifling Creativity
Practical Insights for Improving Project Practices Across Organizations
Instructor(s)
Adam Boddison
Adam joined APM (Association for Project Management) as CEO in September 2021, having previously held leadership roles in other membership associations, including six years as CEO of the National Association for Special Educational Needs.
In addition to his role at APM, Adam has a diverse non-executive director portfolio, supporting organizations and projects that benefit society.
In 2022, Adam was awarded the OBE for his services to children with special educational needs.
Sue Simmonite
Sue Simmonite is the Global Project Management & Control Director for BAE Systems. She has been with BAE Systems for 29 years, gaining experience across a range of complex projects in different sectors and business units. She has led initiatives in project control, project management, contract closure, and business integration, having initially joined as a Business Modern Apprentice.
Operating within the Chief Technology Information Office based in the UK, Sue works across various cultures and geographies to provide the enabling project management & control capabilities necessary to achieve operational excellence in projects, programs, and portfolios.
Sue is actively engaged in operational support for global portfolios, programs, and projects by chairing key independent reviews, such as Integrated Baseline Reviews and Phase Reviews. She is also the corporate sponsor for all senior project management leadership programs, collaborating closely with thought leaders in academia.
Sue represents BAE Systems in the Association for Project Management (APM), the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the UK Major Projects Association (MPA). She has been recognized as an APM Fellow and was one of the inaugural BAE Systems PM Fellows. In 2024, she was successfully re-elected to the APM Board of Trustees and continues to serve as Deputy Chair.
Ian Heptinstall
Ian is an Associate Professor of Project Management at the University of Birmingham (UK).
He is a late-career academic, joining the University after 35 years of working in project management, procurement and management consulting.
His project & procurement experience primarily in the capex, construction & engineering fields.
He has been a regular TOCICO Conference attendee since 2011, and in 2020 he helped set up the annual Critical Chain virtual conference, to share CC real world experience with project management practitioners who have little or no knowledge of TOC or critical chain.
In 2016 he published “The Executive Guide to Breakthrough Project Management” about overcoming obstacles to using critical chain on capital/construction projects, in collaboration with Robert Bolton, and he supported Rene Nibbelke in producing the APM’s “Senior Managers’ and Project Managers’ Guide to Critical Chain” (2024