APM PMO Interest Network Conference - The PMO Advantage
Headline sponsor - Power Framework
Unlock the hidden gem within your organisation. The PMO Advantage conference shines a spotlight on the true potential of a modern PMO — more than a function of oversight and reporting, as a trusted business partner driving real value.
Discover how a value-adding PMO empowers people, builds confidence, and creates clarity through well-defined guardrails that blend traditional discipline with modern ways of working. Explore how the PMO can enable smarter decisions, better outcomes, and meaningful benefits — for both the business and the individuals within it.
It’s time to uncover the true nature of your PMO, elevate its impact, and harness the advantage already within your reach.
This conference is designed to bring the PMO community together. Speakers will share their knowledge and experience for those who have been in PMO for some time to take their practice to a new level, and support those emerging into PMO roles to identify and take their next steps.
We are busy finalising our conference programme with engaging sessions and a full line up of speakers. More details still to come.
Thank you to our sponsors and exhibitors for their valued support.
Join us
Date: Tuesday 24 November 2026
Time: 08:30-17:30
Venue: Crowne Plaza Royal Victoria Sheffield by IHG,
Victoria Station Road, Sheffield S4 7YE
Early-bird Member: £105.00
Early-bird Non-member: £155.00
Early-bird Corporate Partner/Affiliate employee: £114.00
Student member: £33.00
All prices exclude VAT
Early-bird available until Sunday 6 September 2026
Group booking discount:
15% discount on the full conference price for groups of five or more booking together.
Conference programme (subject to change)
🕐 07:45-08:30
Registration and refreshments
🕐 09:30-09:45
Welcome from Emma-Ruth Chilton-Arnaz, PMO Interest Network Lead
🕐 09:45-10:25
Strategy Delivery Does Not Happen by Magic: The PMO Opportunity in Business Integrated Governance
🞇 David Dunning, Founder of BIG CIC, Co-Founder of Deepteam and Director of the International Association for Strategy Professionals (UK)
Most organisations are better at developing strategy than implementing it. Strategy is agreed, objectives are delegated, investments are approved - and then the organisation is expected to make it happen while also running the business, serving customers, managing risk and innovating. This session would position strategy implementation as the real organisational gap that PMOs, strategists, governance professionals and executives need to address together. BIG provides the frame: strategy delivery spans BAU, value creation and change, and needs integrated governance, information, accountability, assurance and Business Support. The question for PMO is whether it wants to be a passive reporter of the gap, or a protagonist in helping the organisation close it.
🕐 10:30-11:10
🕐 10:30-11:10 Break out 1
Benefits
🞇 Stuart Easton, Transparent Choice
🕐 10:30-11:10 Break out 2
The Next Generation PMO - Automation, AI and Data-Driven Decisions
🞇 Maddy Sears - Consulting Manager, Supply Chain and Engineering, Accenture
As organisations seek greater certainty, speed and value from increasingly complex portfolios, the PMO is evolving into an intelligent, data-driven decision support function. Drawing on practical experience delivering digital PMOs across major capital project portfolios, we will explore how integrated project controls, enterprise data and AI can transform portfolio performance through a governed, scalable solution.
🕐 11:10-11:30
Break
🕐 11:30-12:15
🕐 11:30-12:15 Break out 1
Sustainability transport
🞇 Atkins Réalis
🕐 11:30-12:15 Break out 2
The Storytelling Planner: What's Left When Automation Takes the Grunt Work
🞇 Sethu Krish - Director, Ample Consulting
🕐 12:20-13:00
🕐 12:20-13:00 Break out 1
The Human Advantage : From PMO Practitioner to Trusted Business Partner
🞇 Helen Digger - Senior Training Consultant, Wellingtone
During this session, we will explore the competencies and skills required to be a successful PMO practitioner, and how to develop them. You will leave with practical tips to take the next steps for your or your PMO team to become trusted business partners.
🕐 12:20-13:00 Break out 2
PMO journey
🞇 Angus R Williams, AMRC
🕐 13:00-14:00
Lunch
🕐 14:00-14:40
🕐 14:00-14:40 Break out 1
AI
🞇 Atkins Réalis
🕐 14:00-14:40 Break out 2
A Proper Brew: Building a PMO That People Actually Want
🞇 Rachel Bromley - Group Portfolio Management, Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate
Like a proper cup of Yorkshire Tea, a great PMO I'll be talking through how it isn't about fancy ingredients - it's about consistency, quality and bringing people together.
🕐 14:45-15:25
🕐 14:45-15:25 Break out 1
Project Controls Interest Network
🞇 Scotland Interest Network
🕐 14:45-15:25 Break out 2
The Evolution of the PMO: A Decade of Transformation and Strategic Impact
🞇 Aalok Sonawala - PMO Lead, Rider Levett Bucknall
Over time, PMOs have evolved beyond governance, and strategic alignment is critical for them to become high-performing teams.
This session will explore how data and AI are reshaping PMO operations now and discuss how PMO will refocus towards value, agility and outcomes for a bright future.
🕐 15:25-15:45
Break
🕐 15:45-16:30
Future of PMO
Panel discussion
🞇 Nermeen Latif 🞇 Kristane Kronsbein - APM Portfolio Management Interest Network and a transformation leader
🕐 16:30-17:15
Keynote | Beyond Projects: What Business Can Learn from Major Programme Delivery
🞇 Craig Fisher - Programme Director, Sheffield Forgemasters
🕐 17:15-17:30
Closing remarks
🞇 Emma-Ruth Chilton-Arnaz - PMO Interest Network Lead
Power Framework
Power Framework empowers organisations to thrive with innovative solutions in the Microsoft Cloud. Its flagship applications – Power Framework PPM and Power Framework RISK – bring all project, portfolio, and risk data together in a secure platform customers already own.
With advanced governance, powerful reporting, and embedded AI assistance, they deliver clearer insight, faster decisions, and greater efficiency. Seamless integration with the Microsoft ecosystem drives rapid adoption, maximises return on investment, and removes the cost and complexity of standalone tools – helping organisations achieve their goals with confidence.
Exhibitor
Wellingtone
Established in 2001, we work with our clients as their trusted partner, increasing their ability to deliver projects and driving success for their organisation. Our services and capabilities are unique.
We are an APM Accredited Training Provider, P3M3 Axelos Consulting Partner, and Microsoft Gold Partner for project management. In 2025, we won Microsoft Partner of the Year for Project and Portfolio Management, a prestigious global award recognising us as Microsoft’s no.1 partner for project management technology.
We work with organisations across many industry sectors, sizes and locations. If you’re curious about our work, our record of success is best demonstrated by more than 50 independently written case studies available on our website. Our ground-breaking courses, industry leading publications, Microsoft technology expertise, and reputation set us apart.
APM PMO Interest Network
Our network provides a forum for PMO professionals to meet and discuss matters of mutual importance and to create knowledge to be shared across the PMO community.
We welcome membership from across the whole PPM community
If travelling by car, enter S1 2AU into your sat nav or search for Crowne Plaza Royal Victoria in Google or Apple Maps. At the Park Square roundabout, take the Victoria Quays exit and ignore the road closure sign, as Victoria Station Road remains open for hotel access. The nearest train station is Sheffield Train Station. Nearby bus routes include 120, 2, 20, 24, 30, X1, X11, and X2.
APM PMO Network Conference
24 November 2026
Crowne Plaza Royal Victoria Sheffield by IHG, Victoria Station Road,
Sheffield S4 7YE, United Kingdom
If travelling by car, enter S1 2AU into your sat nav or search for Crowne Plaza Royal Victoria in Google or Apple Maps. At the Park Square roundabout, take the Victoria Quays exit and ignore the road closure sign, as Victoria Station Road remains open for hotel access.
The nearest train station is Sheffield Train Station.
Nearby bus routes include 120, 2, 20, 24, 30, X1, X11, and X2.