Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez is globally recognized as a leading authority in project management and strategy implementation. He champions the importance of projects in today's business and personal spheres, a concept he articulated in his Harvard Business Review featured article, "The Project Economy Has Arrived" (November 2021), and further elaborated in the "Harvard Business Review Project Management Handbook" (HBR 2021). He argues that projects have become the common language ("lingua franca") of both the business and personal worlds.
Born in Madrid, Spain, Antonio's academic journey has taken him across Europe and the Americas. He was educated in Germany, Mexico, Italy, and the United States. He holds an MBA from London Business School and completed the International Director's Programme at INSEAD in France. His academic affiliations include visiting professorships at prestigious institutions such as Duke Corporate Education, Instituto de Empresa (Spain), Solvay Business School (Belgium), Vlerick Business School (Belgium), Ecole des Ponts (France), and Skolkovo (Russia).
With a wealth of practical experience, Antonio currently serves as the Sustainability Transformation Program Director at GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines. His previous roles include Head of Project Portfolio Management at BNP Paribas Fortis and Head of Post-Merger Integration at Fortis Bank, where he led the integration following the acquisition of ABN AMRO. Earlier in his career, he spent ten years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, becoming a global lead practitioner for project and change management.
Antonio is a prolific author, having penned several influential books, including "Lead Successful Projects" (2019), "The Project Revolution" (2019), and "The Focused Organization" (2014). He has also contributed to seven other books. His concepts, such as the "Project Economy" and the "Hierarchy of Purpose" (featured by HBR), have gained significant traction in the management world.
His impact on the field has been acknowledged through numerous accolades. Thinkers50 recognized his research and global influence by awarding him the "Ideas into Practice" award in 2017. He is also consistently ranked among the top management thinkers globally, holding a high position in the Global Gurus Top 30 list. Antonio is a Fellow and former Chairman of the Project Management Institute (PMI) and played a key role in establishing the Brightline Initiative, a movement focused on bridging the gap between strategy design and delivery. He is also the founder of Projects & Co and co-founder of the Strategy Implementation Institute. Furthermore, he is a member of the Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches.
A sought-after global speaker, Antonio has presented at over 220 conferences worldwide and is frequently lauded as the best speaker. His presentations cover topics such as strategy execution, project management, and organizational transformation.
In summary, Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez is a world-renowned expert who has significantly contributed to the fields of project management and strategy implementation through his insightful publications, influential concepts, extensive practical experience, and impactful speaking engagements.