This event is taking place in Room 508 in the Roberts Building at University College London
Despite robust methodologies, sophisticated tools, and certified professionals, projects still fail—often for reasons that have little to do with planning techniques or governance structures.
This talk explores behavioural barriers in project decision-making, drawing on insights from behavioural economics, psychology, and real project cases. It challenges the assumption that project managers and stakeholders behave as fully rational decision-makers and reveals how biases, heuristics, and social dynamics quietly shape scope decisions, risk assessments, estimates, stakeholder communication, and escalation choices.
Speaker
Dr Theocharis Papadopoulos is a Professor of Management and Economics at Hult International Business School (London) and a Senior Lecturer at University of Hertfordshire. He is also co-founder and Head of Training of Negroponte (UK) and Negroponte Europe (Cyprus). Before moving to the UK, Theocharis served as an Executive Associate in the Strategic Planning Office for two different Greek Prime Ministers. He specializes in Leadership Development, Operational Excellence, Project Management, Strategic Agility, Strategic Planning, and Decision Making.Over the last three years alone he has designed and delivered training programs for senior leaders and managers in more than 20 organizations in Europe and the Middle East such as the Ministry of Economy and Planning (KSA), Department of Finance (UAE), Department of Business and Trade (UK), Qatar Chemical Company (Qatar), Saudi Telecom Company (KSA), PwC (UAE), NHS (UK), Lloyds of London (International), National Bank of Oman (Oman), Government Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority (KSA), Saudi Data and AI Authority (KSA), General Organisation for Social Insurance (KSA), Mobily (KSA), Riyad Bank (KSA), Center for National Health Insurance (KSA), BEEAH (UAE), ELM (KSA), Basamh Group (KSA), Burberry (UK), and the Royal Academy of Management (Oman).