The highlight of the Angolan lies in the fact that he spreads the power of project management in Angola, according to PMI Global, in a note available on its website.
Manuel Praia, quoted in the publication, began by saying that "since he was little" he has seen "projects fail" in his country. So, he adds: "I decided to become a project manager to help my country – and help project Angola."
In this sense, the Angolan has been leading initiatives linked to Information Technologies (IT) for more than ten years, currently assuming the role of project manager to support business intelligence at Unitel.
However, Manuel Praia also wants to "elevate the country's project management beyond the limits of his corporate work", says the publication.
Thus, it was in 2020 that the Angolan decided to found the PMO Angola portal, "a website that quickly became a busy virtual meeting point for project professionals to share project news and skills development knowledge from and for the Angolan community" , says the PMI note.
Quoted in the note, the Angolan says there is a lack of trust, but "young project leaders can overcome this situation" by surrounding themselves with mentors and "learning from their experiences"
"There is a lack of trust, but young project leaders can overcome this situation by surrounding themselves with mentors and learning from their experiences", and "in doing so, they will understand that leadership is about influence and impact, not about authority", said Manuel Praia.
According to Manuel Praia, the portal's content, among others, ranges from career advice to the most recent news about public and private initiatives "so that professionals know what is happening in the world of project management and can improve with each day of their careers".
The Angolan also has stints at Unitel, where he headed several IT-related projects, as well as at Angola Telecom.
Furthermore, the Angolan also stood out for the role he played as a member of the PMI Angola Chapter. According to the note, in this role, Manuel Praia trained "more than 70 children and teenagers to create an online food fair during the pandemic, in partnership with the PMI Portugal Chapter".
Regarding this achievement, the Angolan said he knew he was helping future generations in his country: "I knew I was helping future generations in my country and, at the same time, influencing the project management profession", he said, mentioned in the note.
You can find out more about the Angolan here and see this year's list here.
