[Editorial]

PMI Switzerland Newsletter, November 2025

Dear PMI Switzerland members and friends,

Elections are crucial to the growth and sustainability of PMI Switzerland. This month’s newsletter features key reasons why, and when you’ll shortly be invited to vote to make your impact felt. 

A highlight of your newsletter this month is an interview with PMI Switzerland’s first president, Dr. Andrea Behrends, who reflects on how it all began, as we prepare to celebrate our 25th anniversary next year. Another highlight to illustrate how far PMI Switzerland has come, is described in an article this month relating our collaboration with Doctors Without Borders.

PMI Switzerland welcomes 6 new members, who are profiled in this month’s newsletter. Of the many benefits associated with membership is high level meetings, workshops and training. Read in this month’s newsletter about our 29 September event featuring Sarah Gadd’s talk on AI, Data & Ethics, where she expounded on the project manager’s responsibility to act as a guardian of responsible innovation. 

Read further about PMI Switzerland’s November 25 event at Regus Lausanne, where you will learn about the most common Intellectual Property-related risks in projects, and how to mitigate them. More events, including one hosted by PMI France Agile (PIAF) that is also highlighted in this newsletter, can be found on PMI Switzerland’s events page on the website. Join us on our social media platforms and join your peers at future events.

 Philip Springuel, Newsletter Copy Editor

[Article]

PMI Switzerland Chapter Elections: Vote for Your Impact

Dear PMI Switzerland Chapter Members,

Elections are vital, as our PMI Switzerland Chapter is governed by Chapter Officers who are elected by you, the Chapter members, as defined in the Chapter Bylaws. These individuals devote their time and energy to driving our Chapter's activities, as well as contributing to the professional development of volunteers and members.   

We invite you to actively engage in our chapter's elections, influence our direction, and contribute to the growth of our project management community. Visit our candidates’ profiles on our elections page, participate in the election and make your voice count. 

[Article]

Impactful Collaboration between PMI Switzerland and Médecins Sans Frontières under the Project Managers Without Borders (PMWB) Initiative

The PMI Switzerland Chapter, together with Project Managers Without Borders (PMWB), actively supports social impact projects through professional volunteerism. 

Through the Hours for Impact Program aligned with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), project professionals volunteer their time and expertise for meaningful causes. 

As part of this commitment, PMI Switzerland partnered with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) - a medical humanitarian NGO active in over 70 countries - to strengthen project management capabilities within its teams.

[Article]

Leading with Ethics: Reflections from PMI Switzerland’s Event on AI, Data & Ethics

On 29 September 2025, PMI Switzerland hosted an insightful evening at Julius Baer Zurich-Altstetten, featuring Sarah Gadd, recognized among the 2025 Global Top 100 Chief Data Officers. (See the full list).

Sarah reminded us that artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept. It is already influencing how we manage projects, make decisions, and design services. Yet with opportunity comes responsibility. Using vivid real-world examples, from biased algorithms to data-driven decision pitfalls, Sarah demonstrated how ethical awareness and good data governance are becoming critical project-management skills.

[Article]

PM Forum 2025 in Lugano: Exploring the Future of Project Management

The PM Forum 2025, organized by APM Switzerland, took place in Lugano on 13–14 October 2025. The event gathered project management professionals, academics, and students under the central theme “The Future of Project Management – Innovation in Management and Managing Innovation”.

The Forum explored how project management continues to evolve in a world where innovation, digital transformation, and cross-cultural collaboration redefine traditional boundaries. The hybrid format of the event allowed participants to join both onsite and online, ensuring accessibility while fostering in-person discussions and networking moments.

[Article]

From Vision to Community: The Founding of PMI Switzerland

An interview with Dr. Andrea Behrends

As the PMI Switzerland Chapter prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary in March 2026, it’s the perfect moment to look back at how it all began. We spoke with the chapter’s first president, Dr. Andrea Behrends, to reflect on the vision, challenges, and proud achievements of its early years. Did the founders’ hopes come true? What lessons remain relevant today? 

[Article]

Bloquez votre agenda, Piaf 2026 arrive !

This event is going to be held in French

PMI France Agile (PIAF) - Mark your calendar, Piaf 2026 is coming!

Dear Agility enthusiasts,

We are pleased to announce that:

• PIAF 2026 will be held on March 20, 2026 on the theme: “Integrating agility into business” « Intégrer l’agilité aux business ». An exceptional day to explore how agility, beyond IT, becomes a strategic lever to deliver value, innovate and support the transformation of organizations.
• The Call for Speaker is open. We invite you to propose your conferences, workshops or panels. This is the ideal opportunity to share your practices, your feedback and your ideas to enrich the community. Here is the Sessionize link for your proposals: https://sessionize.com/piaf-2026 
  

[Article]

Intellectual Property Challenges in Projects: Useful Tips for Risk Management

Do I deal with intellectual property (IP) at work? In my projects, am I using someone else’s products without adhering to IP rights? Or maybe my company and I are the creators of a work subject to IP protection?

Join us on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, for an evening talk in Lausanne with Said Azimov, Program Officer at the IP for Business Division at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). 

[Sponsors]

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[Community PMI CH]

Members Update

A warm welcome to all new members that joined our Chapter.

Congratulations also to the members who obtained certifications.

The following members provided information about themselves: Gert Van Avondt, Mathis Claudel, Luís Faria, Son Tran, Zaahira Gani, Johannes Dellian.

[Social media]

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‍The PMI Switzerland Chapter is a non-profit professional business organization, and is a chartered chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI), Newtown Square, PA, USA.

Views and opinions expressed in the newsletter are those of the authors and, unless otherwise stated, do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the chapter or PMI or imply partnership.

© Copyright 2022 Project Management Institute Switzerland Chapter. All rights reserved.

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