Special Project Management METROS2 Magazine

Metros2: How would you assess project management activity in 2024 and the first half of 2025?

Josep Antoni Grimalt: 2024 and the first half of 2025 have been particularly favorable for the sector in general and, consequently, also for project management. We are seeing the consolidation of a sustained growth trend, driven by several key factors: rapidly expanding demand, full confidence in the market, solid investment levels, and international interest in Spanish real estate. All of this has allowed AEDIP companies to grow in volume and enter new markets. Today, our 26 member companies represent more than 15,000 professionals globally and in Spain they have an annual turnover of more than €200 million, which represents more than 60% of the total sector volume.

Metros2: What are your goals for 2025?

We know that the greater the impact we have, the more “effective” our work will be, and the closer we will be to achieving our goals. Therefore, in the short term, in 2025 and the first half of 2026, the goal is precisely to grow and increase our impact so that, in the long term, though not too much, we can contribute this value, the reason for AEDIP’s existence, in both the private and public sectors.

Metros2: How many members do you have? What are the main challenges? We currently have 26 companies, and the expectation is to continue growing in members, sponsors, and also in collaboration agreements. As this is a non-regulated or strictly regulated profession, it is important that companies support, share, and defend each other under the umbrella of AEDIP. By being members of the association, companies receive returns directly proportional to their level of involvement in the association. These returns range from training, branding, and networking. In addition, we are working and hope to soon be able to offer new services to our partners, such as legal support, information on public tenders, agreements with suppliers, standard contract templates, support for internationalization, etc.

Metros2: Where is PM evolving, and what are its current challenges?

Our companies, perhaps due to what we mentioned earlier about unregulated services, or because we work with clients with international portfolios, are at the forefront of methodologies, construction techniques, and contractual modalities. This training and continuous improvement allow us to stay half a step ahead of our clients’ needs. Ultimately, it is these needs that determine the direction of the evolution of Project Management.

The client profile is increasingly financial and global, many of them without in-house teams in Spain. This encourages outsourcing and the transfer of risks to a specialized third party. This is where Project Management companies come in. Our teams can support clients throughout all phases of the project, from the business case, design, construction, and even operations. Clients expect a reliable service that provides a guarantee for transferring project risk; our companies offer that confidence to our clients.

Metros2: Have the sector’s forecasts changed over the course of the year? What do you expect from public-private collaboration?
We have begun a round of contacts with public administrations to raise awareness about the Project concept in the public sector. For several months now, we have been holding meetings with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIVAU) to encourage them to consider us in the Industrialization PERTE (Perte de Industrialización) and the ARCE 2050 plan, and to ensure that this serves as a precedent for improving and standardizing the Project concept in public tender documents.
We know we can be very useful in addressing the housing emergency. Public administrations, particularly those at the local and regional levels, face a workload that far exceeds their internal resources and capabilities. Tasks such as managing subsidies, developing initiatives, coordinating between various stakeholders, and monitoring plan implementation represent a considerable effort, difficult to address without external support.
In this context, Integrated Project Management is presented as a key tool for advancing public policies. This methodology allows governments to expand their operational capacity, manage multiple projects simultaneously, apply successful international standards and experiences, and minimize the risks arising from improvisation or excessive technical demands.
Metros2: In the short and medium term, how is client demand changing? New business opportunities.

We face a significant challenge. We must avoid falling into a point of no return and becoming a service that sells only hours per person, valued at a contracted price, without taking into account the know-how and value of the companies behind all the technicians we provide to the client. We must emphasize that we are trained technicians, architects, and engineers, and that we also master the best project management methodologies to ensure maximum project success. We must emphasize that we are the client’s only ally, by their side throughout the entire project process.