APM members were back at the The Brewery in London again this year for the announcement of who won the Project Management Awards. APM is the largest independent professional body of its kind in Europe, so the awards carry industry prestige.



Programme of the year was picked up by Remploy for their Modernisation Programme, fighting off the Business Transformation Programme by Oxford City Council and competition from Establishing the Homes and Communities Agency and Tenant Services Authority, managed by PricewaterhouseCoopers.  Remploy – which helps get disabled people into work – aims to increase the number of people it provides services to from 5,000 to 20,000 a year, over 5 years.  Phase one of the plan is now complete, saving millions already through consolidation.



The Sir Monty Finniston Award (for lifetime achievement and contribution to the profession) went to Tom Taylor, HonFAPM.



The Community Project of the Year award, sponsored by Project magazine, went to Clitheroe Castle, Turner & Townsend, for their restoration efforts including the conversion of the 18th Century Steward’s House. Turner & Townsend developed an innovative, sustainable and contemporary building that now forms the hub for the castle. There is also a new educational community area, converted from an old car park.



Turner & Townsend also picked up Project Management Company of the Year. They invest 1% of turnover in training and development, and promote coaching and mentoring within the organisation.  Their approach to communication was another reason why they were honoured in this way, with all team members managing communication up and down the project organisation structure.



Overseas Project of the Year went to The Poinsettia Project by BG Trinidad & Tobago Limited.  This was for the “Poinsettia” offshore gas production facility off the coast of Trinidad.  The company drew on local resources and local industry to support the work.



Michael Holme won Young Project Manager of the Year, for the work he has done on secondment to United Utilities.  He worked on a project – the first of its kind in the UK – to undertake the cleaning of 176km of water ring mains.



Kevin Bryson and Mike Ogden from Turner & Townsend, and Aled Edwards from Galliford Try were nominated for Project Manager of the Year.  Kevin took home the award for his ability to deliver projects across a wide range of sectors, including, regeneration, education and business.  He was also recognised for his ability to modify his management approach according to the make up of the project team and stakeholders – something all project managers should be able to do.



The awards wouldn’t have been able to get away without recognising the incredible impact that the 2012 Olympics are going to have on UK project management, and Project of the Year went to the PLUG Project, managed by the Olympic Delivery Authority.  This was the first Olympic Park preparation projects which involved removing overhead pylons and relocating power cables underground.  Maybe not the most glamorous of the Olympic projects, but one that has improved the East London skyline!



There were other prizes awarded on the night as well, including some for academic achievement in project management:



  • The Geoffrey Trimble Award for best post-graduate dissertation went to Alexander Ritchie of Thales Aerospace and Newcastle University.


  • The Herbert Walton Award for best doctoral academic research was awarded to Ron Basu from Henley Business School.


  • The Brian Willis Award for the highest APMP exam mark was awarded to Rachel Bishop-Firth from Foster Wheeler.