REPORT
By João Henrique Pettená do Carmo
International Correspondent
São Paulo, Brazil
Introduction
This is our first Project Management report of 2026 on Brazil, with a São Paulo lens. It is meant to serve as the year’s baseline. In practical terms, it sets the recurring angles we will track across the next editions: governance maturity (portfolio, risk, benefits), delivery capacity (people and capabilities), and market professionalization (training and credentials).
- The shift from frameworks to value delivery. The starting point is a shift in emphasis. The core question is no longer which method an organization claims to use. It is how it governs choices, risk, and benefits. In 2026, the gap between mature and immature organizations shows up less in methodological rhetoric and more in three operational questions: who decides what (portfolio), how change is controlled (risk and contracting), and how benefits are demonstrated (value). This direction aligns with the PMI’s recent framing of business acumen as a differentiator that lifts project performance beyond schedule, scope, and budget (Project Management Institute, 2025).
In São Paulo, that lens tends to be harsher because scale and institutional density raise the cost of volatility. Predictability and accountability are not add-ons. They are operating requirements. A useful proxy for that pressure is the state’s economic outlook itself: official projections and commentary on São Paulo’s GDP help anchor expectations around investment cycles and the demand for delivery competence (Fundação Seade, 2025).
- Two forces shaping the moment: talent constraints and public-sector pressure. The first force is capacity. PMI estimates suggest project-management employment will continue to expand through 2035, while the world may face a shortage of up to 29.8 million qualified professionals. PMI also places the profession’s global headcount around 39.6 million in 2025. The practical implication is straightforward: execution gets more expensive. The cost of rework rises, competition for experienced talent intensifies, and standardized language and governance become more valuable as coordination tools (Project Management Institute, 2025a).
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How to cite this report: do Carmo, J. H. P. (2026). Project Management Update from São Paulo, report, PM World Journal, Vol. XV, Issue II, February. Available online at: https://pmworldjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/pmwj161-Feb2026-do-Carmo-Sao-Paulo-Project-Management-Update-report.pdf
About the Author
João Henrique Pettená do Carmo
São Paulo, Brazil
João Henrique Pettená do Carmo is a Project Manager (PMP®) based in São Paulo State, Brazil, with 19 years of experience across the energy, infrastructure, engineering, and industrial sectors. Holds an MBA in Project Management from the University of São Paulo (USP), a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (USP), and an LL.B. from UNISAL/SP. Six Sigma Green Belt, with additional project management specializations from the University of Colorado System and the University of Leeds; currently pursuing Six Sigma Black Belt certification.
João contributed to projects for organizations including AGCO, Boticário, CPFL, General Electric, GLP Properties, Jacuzzi, JBS Seara, Nissin Foods, and Zongshen Machinery. He is a member of the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards (ABNT) Special Study Committee CEE/093 on Project, Program and Portfolio Management. He has authored academic research and international peer-reviewed papers on project, program, and portfolio management.
Contact: pettena.joao@pm.me
