The role of the project manager is changing. The real question is: are we changing fast enough? 

Projects are no longer simply vehicles for delivering a predefined scope. They are how organizations transform, innovate, respond to disruption and create business value. 

Artificial intelligence is changing how we plan, report and manage projects. Organizations are facing increasing complexity and uncertainty. Strategic priorities can shift faster than traditional project plans can adapt. 

So, what will CEOs expect from project managers in 2030? 

This is one of the questions at the heart of PM Fair 2026, taking place on 2 October 2026 at The EGG in Brussels, under the theme: 

The Evolution of the Project Manager: From Executor to Strategic Enabler 

And who better to challenge our thinking than business leaders who are shaping the organizations of tomorrow? 

From project delivery to business leadership 

For many years, project management success has been associated with delivering on time, within budget and according to scope. 

But is that enough anymore? 

Imagine it is 2030. 

Your organization is investing millions in a transformation. AI can generate forecasts, identify risks, automate reporting and optimize schedules. Data is available instantly. Routine project administration is increasingly automated. 

What does the CEO still need from the project manager? 

The answer may have little to do with producing another status report. 

CEOs will increasingly need project leaders who can understand the business strategy, navigate ambiguity, make decisions, challenge assumptions, connect stakeholders and ensure that projects deliver meaningful business outcomes. 

In other words: the project manager of the future cannot simply manage the project. They must understand and enable the business. 

A conversation with the people at the top 

At PM Fair 2026, we will put this question directly to a distinguished CEO and business leadership panel: 

Saskia Van Uffelen | Thierry Geerts | Stefan Dierickx | Jurgen Ingels 

The discussion will be moderated by Wim De Vilder, bringing the perspectives of four experienced business leaders into one conversation about the future of project leadership. 

Expect more than predictions about the future. 

Expect a challenge to the profession. 

Among the questions we will explore: 

• What will CEOs expect from project managers in 2030 that they don't expect today? 

• Will project managers still be primarily responsible for project delivery, or will they become business leaders who deliver through projects? 

• How much should a project manager challenge strategy rather than simply execute it? 

• If AI takes over planning, reporting and risk analysis, what should project managers spend their time doing instead? 

• Will project managers be measured by delivering projects—or by the business value those projects create? 

• What gives a CEO enough confidence to say: “I trust this project manager to make the decision without coming back to me”? 

• And perhaps most importantly: What should today's project managers stop doing, start doing and continue doing to become strategic leaders? 

The uncomfortable question 

There is one question that could resonate particularly strongly with every project professional: 

What is the biggest gap between what CEOs need from project managers and what project managers deliver today? 

It is an uncomfortable question but an important one. 

Because the evolution of our profession will not be determined only by new methodologies, tools or certifications. 

It will be determined by the value project professionals bring to their organizations. 

The project managers who thrive in 2030 may not necessarily be the ones who are best at controlling a plan. 

They may be the ones who can connect strategy with execution, technology with people, data with decisions, and projects with business value. 

Your future role starts today 

PM Fair 2026 is an opportunity to step back from the daily project agenda and ask a bigger question: 

What kind of project leader do I need to become for the next decade? 

Come and hear directly from CEOs and business leaders about what they will expect from the project professionals leading their most critical initiatives. 

Challenge your assumptions. Get inspired. Connect with peers. And discover how the role of the project manager is evolving—from executor to strategic enabler. 

PM Fair 2026 

2 October 2026 | The EGG, Brussels 

The future of project management isn't coming. It is already here. 

Will you be ready for what CEOs expect from you in 2030? 

Register for PM Fair 2026 and be part of the conversation. 

 

With smiling greetings, 

Anja Vandenbergh 
President, PMI Belgium Chapter