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Stuart Taylor

Founder at Influential PMO

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Stuart Taylor is a PMO, portfolio governance and project assurance specialist with more than 20 years’ experience helping organisations improve the way they prioritise, govern and deliver change.

A Fellow of the Association for Project Management (FAPM), Stuart has worked across banking, payments, insurance, government, healthcare and retail, supporting complex portfolios and major transformation environments. His work focuses on building high-performing PMOs, strengthening portfolio governance and executive decision-making, and providing independent assurance that gives organisations greater confidence in their most important change.

Stuart is the author of Becoming the Project Manager, an Amazon bestselling project management book, and is currently writing Becoming the PMO. He has served as a judge for the PMO Global Awards since 2022 and was named a finalist in the 2023 World PMO Influencer Awards.

Now based in Dubai, Stuart works with organisations across the GCC and internationally through Influential PMO, providing independent PMO, portfolio governance and project assurance expertise.

His philosophy is simple: prioritise the change, protect the delivery.

Available For: Consulting, Influencing, Speaking
Travels From: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Speaking Topics: PMO Leadership, Project Assurance, Portfolio Governance

Speaking Fee $1,000 (In-Person)

Stuart Taylor Points
Academic 20
Author 114
Influencer 158
Speaker 3
Entrepreneur 30
Analyst 0
Total 325

Points based upon Thinkers360 patent-pending algorithm.

Thought Leader Profile

Portfolio Mix

Company Information

Company Type: Company
Minimum Project Size: N/A
Average Hourly Rate: N/A
Number of Employees: 1-10
Company Founded Date: Undisclosed
Media Experience: 5 years+
Last Media Interview: 06/23/2026

Areas of Expertise

AI 30.04
Business Strategy 30.72
Careers 41.69
Change Management 30.09
Coaching
Finance
FinTech
Leadership 32.00
Management 31.57
Project Management 37.29
Risk Management
Social

Industry Experience

Federal & Public Sector
Financial Services & Banking
Healthcare
Insurance
Retail

Publications & Experience

1 Academic Fellow / Scholar
Fellow of the Association for Project Management (FAPM)
Association for Project Management
April 22, 2025
Fellow of the Association for Project Management (FAPM)

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Tags: Leadership, Project Management

12 Article/Blogs
Project People - What Are You Afraid Of?
Linkedin
May 19, 2026
Every day we’re told the same story. The economy's unstable. AI's coming for our jobs. Companies are restructuring. Budgets are shrinking. Markets are uncertain. And everything’s changing too fast.

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Tags: Leadership

Getting Set Up for a Career and Life in Dubai
Linkedin
October 29, 2025
In a recent video I talked about the different ways to get started in Dubai — whether you come out sponsored by an employer or set up your own company.

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Tags: Leadership

The mistake I made after my first pay rise
Influential PMO
October 06, 2025
I still remember my first pay rise. I thought it was a big win — and it was. But looking back, I made a mistake with how I handled it.

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Tags: Leadership, Management, Project Management

What It Takes to Make One Image Stand Out
Linkedin
June 29, 2025
A scroll-stopping image can make all the difference — especially here on LinkedIn.

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Tags: Leadership, Project Management

How to Deliver a Presentation
Linkedin
June 02, 2025
I used to hate giving presentations at work.

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Tags: Leadership, Management, Project Management

The Jeff Bezos Approach for Successful Projects
X
September 23, 2024
Lessons project professions can learn from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

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Tags: Careers, Leadership, Project Management

The Mark Zuckerberg Approach for Successful Projects
X
September 04, 2024
A look at the approaches used by Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg that project professionals can use in their careers.

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Tags: Careers, Leadership, Project Management

Which Project Starts Next?
Linkedin
March 27, 2024
I've had the chance to interview portfolio management expert Stuart Easton from Transparent Choice about portfolio prioritisation. Whilst I'm editing a video on "How Companies Decide Which Project Starts Next", I wanted to share some insights from the interview that I found interesting and give you something to look forward to!

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Tags: Leadership, Management, Project Management

Make Your Team Resilient
Linkedin
March 26, 2024
Are you worried that your whole department or project will fall apart the moment you need to take time off work? Well, maybe you should be worried! Have you developed your team so they can continue to work effectively in your absence? In my years working on projects in various businesses, I’ve worked in many teams - and here are the three qualities that that the best performing teams had instilled in them by their leaders

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Tags: Leadership, Management, Project Management

2023 in Review - My Successes and Failures
Linkedin
December 29, 2023
As we exit 2023, I wanted to take a look back at my year, enjoy the successes and laugh at the failures!

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Tags: Leadership, Management, Project Management

Don't Argue with the Exam Paper
Linkedin
November 17, 2023
It had been a number of years since I’d passed my Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) course, thanks to the generosity of Walsall Council (and, ahem, the tax payer). I recalled how more than half of the class had passed the exam with a reasonable range of grades, whilst – surprisingly – a number of the other attendees had failed.

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Tags: Leadership, Management, Project Management

AI Wrote My Project Charter!!
Linkedin
July 26, 2023
I asked ChatGPT to write my project charter. I also asked it to make a few improvements. This is shown in the video here, and the full transcript of my interactions with ChatGPT is shown below.

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Tags: Leadership, Management, Project Management

1 Book
Becoming the Project Manager
Influential PMO
April 27, 2026
Becoming the Project Manager is a practical and personal exploration of what it really takes to build a career in project management. Drawing on two decades of experience across projects, programmes and PMOs, Stuart Taylor explores the lessons, mistakes, behaviours and realities that shape effective project professionals — going beyond methodologies and qualifications to focus on what is learned through actually doing the job.

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Tags: Careers, Leadership, Project Management

1 Consultant / Snr. Consultant
Assurance and PMO Consultant
Influential PMO
January 01, 2025
As a PMO consultant specialising in financial services, I help organisations deliver projects effectively by providing assurance, governance, and strategic PMO support. My focus is on ensuring controlled delivery, informed decision-making, and alignment with business objectives.

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Tags: Leadership, Management, Project Management

1 Founder
Influential PMO Project Management Consulting - FZCO
Influential PMO
September 08, 2026
I founded Influential PMO in Dubai to provide independent PMO advisory, portfolio governance and project assurance services to organisations across the UAE, GCC and internationally.

Drawing on over 20 years of experience, I help organisations prioritise change, strengthen governance and improve confidence in project delivery.

Prioritise the change. Protect the delivery.

See publication

Tags: Business Strategy, Leadership, Project Management

1 Influencer Award
Finalist - PMOGA World PMO Influencer of the Year - 2023
PMI PMO Global Alliance
December 04, 2023
Finalist of PMO Global Awards World PMO Influencer of the Year - 2023

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Tags: Project Management

2 Media Interviews
PPP 516 | Becoming the Project Manager, with Stuart Taylor
People & Projects Podcast
July 27, 2026
Stuart shares the story behind the book - Becoming the Project Manager - including the university project where he publicly chastised a teammate and the response from his dad that changed how he understood leadership. He and Andy dig into the real value and limits of PM certifications, why AI can help you communicate but can’t replace the human part, the stakeholder questions younger Stuart was afraid to ask, what his mentor Wayne taught him about proximity and follow-through, and why a new sponsor has to be sold on your project rather than assumed into it. You’ll also hear the 30-minute CV rule and the trouble it once caused him.

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Tags: Careers, Project Management

Why Project Management Is Becoming Everyone’s Job
The Digital Project Manager Podcast
June 23, 2026
A discussion to explore what separates effective project leaders from accidental coordinators; unpackingcommon misconceptions about project management, the leadership and communication skills that matter most when plans don’t go as expected, and why learning to lead projects may become a defining career milestone for professionals at every level.

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Tags: Careers, Project Management

1 Profile
Stuart Taylor - Project Management (YouTube Channel)
YouTube
July 26, 2020
Practical insight into project management, PMOs, portfolio governance and project assurance.
I share lessons from the reality of delivering and governing change: what makes projects succeed or fail, how effective PMOs improve organisational performance, how to strengthen governance without creating bureaucracy, and what independent assurance can tell you about the health of your projects and programmes.

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Tags: Careers, Coaching, Project Management

1 Speaking Engagement
Deliver Your Project Like a YouTuber
Digital PM Summit
October 17, 2022
Sharing transferable skills from content creation to project managers, including communication, goal setting and developing stakeholder profiles.

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Tags: Project Management

14 Videos
The Right Way to Run Meetings
Influential PMO
August 18, 2026
Many meetings feel productive — but end up wasting time. In this video, I break down why that happens and what you can do about it. You’ll learn the 3 biggest reasons meetings fail, and more importantly, 4 simple rules to make yours actually worth running. Whether you’re a team lead, a project manager, or just stuck in back-to-back calls — this will help you reclaim your time and improve how your team works.

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Tags: Careers, Management, Project Management

Are All Government Projects Really Failing?
YouTube
August 14, 2026
Are all government projects really failing?
That's certainly the impression you get from the headlines.

Then I stumbled across the latest National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) report that made me question whether we're interpreting project dashboards the right way.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-major-projects-demonstrate-strong-foundations-for-delivery

In this video, I explore why amber doesn't automatically mean failure, why the best project managers often report problems earlier, not later, and how executives can ask better questions to uncover what's really happening.

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Tags: Leadership, Project Management

The Next Generation of AI Project Management Tools Is Here
YouTube
August 12, 2026
For decades, project management software has relied on people to keep it updated.

Meetings finish. Someone writes the notes. Someone updates the plan. Someone chases actions. Someone produces the status report.

What if AI did all of that for you?

In this video, I take a look at Workplace.io and why I think it represents a genuine step forward in AI-powered project management.

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Tags: AI, Management, Project Management

The Future of PMO Is Not What Most People Think
YouTube
June 24, 2026
PMOs are often associated with governance, reporting, templates and administration. But after attending PMO Conference 2026, I came away with a very different picture of where the profession is heading.

In this video, I share four key lessons from PMO Conference 2026, including insights from Joe Pusz (aka PMO Joe), James Evans, Gero Renker and Alexander Budzier.

Whether you work in PMO, project management, programme management or portfolio management, these lessons may change the way you think about the role of PMOs in the years ahead.

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Tags: Business Strategy, Management, Project Management

Is a Master's Degree Worth It for Project Managers?
YouTube
June 11, 2026
A look at whether project managers need a masters degree in current times.

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Tags: Careers, Project Management

Thoughtless Compliance In Project Management
YouTube
June 09, 2026
An insight into the dangers of not understanding why governance rules exist.

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Tags: Careers, Project Management

What PMOs Need to Get Better At in 2026
YouTube
June 01, 2026
A look at the skills and services PMOs need to improve in 2026 in order to stand out.

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Tags: Project Management

How to Present a Gantt Chart at SteerCo
YouTube
May 28, 2026
Tips on how project managers should present their plans in project SteerCo meetings

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Tags: Change Management, Project Management

The Fractional Workforce is Growing Fast
YouTube
May 26, 2026
A look into how fractional working is a growing trend that project professionals should consider for their careers.

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Tags: Careers, Project Management

Project people… why are you afraid?
Influential PMO
May 18, 2026
Everywhere you look right now, people seem anxious about the future of work.

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Tags: Leadership, Management, Project Management

When Accountability Got Real
Influential PMO
November 11, 2025
I walked into my first Change Board meeting and immediately understood why everyone dreaded it. The tension. The silence. The fear in the room.

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Tags: Leadership, Management, Project Management

How Teams Really Grow Stronger
Influential PMO
October 03, 2025
Ever wondered why new teams feel awkward… and why conflict often shows up before things get better?

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Tags: Leadership, Management, Project Management

MS Project Tutorial for Beginners
Influential PMO
June 25, 2023
A short video sharing how to get started quickly on Microsoft Project.

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Tags: Project Management

Making a Skills Matrix for your Team with Excel
Influential PMO
March 15, 2021
A video that shows how to create a basic skills matrix for capturing and presenting your teams skills in Excel, using vlookup function and charts. This will be useful for anyone managing a team and interested in developing the skills of that team.

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Tags: Management, Project Management

Thinkers360 Certifications

2 Certifications

Thinkers360 Credentials

2 Badges

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Opportunities

1 Business Consulting
Independent Project & Programme Assurance — Dubai & UAE

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates    Fees: 250

Service Type: Service Offered

I provide independent project and programme assurance to organisations across Dubai and the UAE.

I assess delivery confidence, identify risks, challenge assumptions and offer practical recommendations to strengthen governance and project outcomes.

With over 20 years' experience across complex change environments, I offer one-off health checks, independent reviews and ongoing assurance support.

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