Meet David Oyekunle, a leading contender for the IPMA Global Research Award 2025

In the field of Project Management and Research, the IPMA Global Research Award remains one of the most prestigious awards anyone in the field could dream of attaining, and David Oyekunle, against all odds, has climbed to the top as a finalist for this years award.

It was announced on the official website of the International Project Management Association (IPMA) on the 28th of February, 2025 that Oyekunle had been selected as one of the finalists for the coveted 2025 IPMA Global Research Award. The announcement of this prestigious award marks a crucial milestone on Oyekunle’s journey in academia. This, without a doubt, underlines his impressive and remarkable contributions to the field of project management research as a whole.

This achievement is worthy of note and even worthier of accolades especially considering that the International Project Management Association (IPMA) Global Research Awards are the most prominent, coveted and enviable global awards that recognise dedicated excellence as far as the field of project management field is concerned.

In 2024 during the nomination and submission stage, the IPMA Awards received quite a an unprecedented number of submissions which also is to mark its 60th anniversary happening this week. This in turn made the selection process a truly competitive one. The finalists had to be selected through a stringent review procedure carried out by a distinguished panel of independent IPMA research assessors and judges. This was done to ensure that only the research with the greatest impact will be recognised.

David, side-by-side with his phenomenal team members, Ugochukwu Okwudili Matthew (Federal University Lavras, Brazil), David Preston (University of Salford, UK), and David Boohen (University of Energy and Natural Resources, Ghana)have received this  recognition  for  their  groundbreaking research  work  titled,  “Trust  Beyond

Technology Algorithms: A Theoretical Exploration of ConsumerTrust and Behaviour in Technological Consumption and AI Projects.”

Published in, 2024, the study has had many citations and contributes significantly to an area of research whose relevance in today’s times is climbing even higher focusing on consumer trust in artificial intelligence and technological projects. Their research project provides valuable insights into the multiple ways in which the trust dynamics have begun to change in the digital era.

David is competing alongside three other exceptional candidates in the Global Research Award Category. Each finalist is burdened with the responsibility of demonstrating that research can both be unique and effective as they continue to test the boundaries of project management around the globe. Davidwork stands out even in the middle of the fierce competition not only for its theoretical depth, but also for the practical consequences it has in the ever-changing landscape of projects driven by artificial intelligence and technology advancements.

David, holds a Masters’ Degree in Project Management within distinction from the University of Salford, Manchester in the United Kingdom. In addition, he has also received the special honour as Fellow of the Association for Project Management (APM) in the United Kingdom which is the only chartered body of project management professional in the world. This fellow award came on the heels of his over a decade experience and contribution  in the project management space. In addition to these honours, David is a recipient of the UK Global Talent Award, thus positioning him as a leading figure in his field of research and digital technology sector, and as a successful and respected professional with experience in a variety of fields and a multidisciplinary sector.

The aim of David research is to investigates the interaction of technology and human behaviour, thereby offering a theoretical foundation for understanding trust in project that involve the consumption of advanced technological products or trends. It is anticipated that this research investigation of consumerpsychology in artificial intelligence project will have far-reaching effects, particularly in light of the fact that AI is continuing to change industries and everyday life.

Because of his growing contribution and innovation within the international community of project management researchers, his remarkable competence is being brought to the forefront for further recognition. Earlier, in 2023, David as invited to present two prominent papers at the 12th Research Conference of theInternational Project Management Association (IPMA), whichwas held in the United States of America. During this conference, he made major contributions to the discussions that took place within the IPMA research focus.

Notably, it is believed that David candidacy is the first time that a Nigerian has been recognized as a finalist for this prestigious award. Furthermore, it is possible that he may become the first Nigerian to win this awar as the lead author of the paper.

As the landscape of project management continues to evolve, hisground-breaking research is a validation to the necessity of trust and creativity in the field which was recently discussed at the AI summit in Paris. Each of these researchers has shown that they have outstanding potential to advance the subject of project management. In the course of the 13th IPMA Research Conference, which will take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from April 9th to 11th, 2025, the winners of each category will be announced during the IPMA Global Research Awards Gala. Having been selected as a finalist, David is now part of leaders and researchers from all over the world contributing thought leadership through research.

We heartily congratulate David Oyekunle and his team, as they have been distinguished as being among the leaders in the world of ground-breaking research. The work that they do continues to establish new benchmarks in the field of project management, AI and ethics and the accomplishments that they have accomplished serve as a shining example of excellence and a source of motivation for the young generations of researchers in project management and other research professions.