The Global Top Agile CEO Award has always been a grand and prestigious ceremony, one that requires at least 200 attendees to truly capture its momentum. Last year, we were able to surpass that number by combining it with the RSG event. However, this year we had no additional events to pair with it. Coinciding with PM-ABC’s 20th anniversary, I decided to merge the two celebrations: not only hosting the CEO Award but also throwing a 20th anniversary “birthday party” for PM-ABC.
Yahoo News: PM-ABC 20th Anniversary – Cultivating 20,000 Professionals to Lead Project and Agile Education in Taiwan
This time, I invited 300 VIPs of PM-ABC. The selection process was extremely challenging, as among PM-ABC’s 20,000 PMPs, more than 1,000 have become CEOs. Narrowing the list down to 300 distinguished guests was both an honor and a challenge. In the end, when the “20th Anniversary Celebration” and the “CEO Award” took the stage together, two events that seemed different in nature turned out to complement each other perfectly. The award winners were not only PM-ABC alumni but also outstanding Agile CEOs.
Thank You for Witnessing PM-ABC’s 20-Year Journey in Cultivating 20,000 PMPs
When the CEO Award Meets PM-ABC’s 20th Anniversary: A Seamlessly Surprising Combination
At first, I was concerned that combining the Global Agile CEO Award with PM-ABC’s 20th Anniversary celebration might seem mismatched. However, reality proved otherwise. The award itself carries independence and credibility, with winners coming from diverse industries. Their achievements not only highlight excellence in organizational agile transformation but also added deeper meaning to PM-ABC’s celebration by sharing the stage with such honor.
The feedback afterward was truly uplifting. Many remarked that organizing either a 20th anniversary celebration or the CEO Award alone would already be a project with a difficulty level of 90 out of 100. Yet, I managed to merge these two high-difficulty projects into one seamless event. The greatest challenge behind it all lay in the precise control of timing and process.
The Volunteer Team and the Spirit of Scrum
With only two months of preparation, the entire event was accomplished by a team of just 11 volunteers. They held their Daily Scrum every night at 10 p.m., and as the PO, I had to both delegate authority and stay on top of the details.
Many of the creative ideas came from the volunteers. For example, the ceremonial ambassadors suggested wearing colorful qipaos for the first time, instead of the traditional black-and-white formal attire. At first, I worried that with an already complex ceremony, such bright costumes might overshadow the main event. But I chose to take the risk, and it proved to be the right decision—the colorful qipaos became one of the most eye-catching highlights of the day (as shown in the left photo).
The Association of Secretaries and Administrative Professionals of the Republic of China (ASAPROC) goodwill ambassador team, guided by Chairperson Chun-Ju Chou, led by Chief Mentor Lien-Yu Chen, and supported by Secretary-General Mi-Jin for event planning and execution, participated in this year’s 2025 Agile CEO Award Ceremony.
Another challenge of this event was controlling the number of attendees. The venue could only accommodate 300 people, and we had to be precise down to the very last seat. To avoid confusion, we introduced the “Party365” digital check-in system. With just a quick scan, guests could instantly see their assigned seats and even search for the locations of their friends.
The effectiveness of this rented system was truly remarkable, ultimately delivering a 96% attendance rate. Only 12 guests were absent, including one award winner who, along with their Friends and family group, was unable to attend due to a flight delay. In the end, the actual absence rate was less than 4%—a near miracle for a large-scale ceremony.
Golden Badge: The Most Delightful Gift for Our Honored Guests
For the 20th anniversary, I wanted the gift to be something more than just an ordinary souvenir. Typical souvenirs on the market, priced between NT$100 and NT$300, often end up shelved or forgotten once taken home. Instead, I decided to give a gift that guests could truly “take with them, wear with pride, and remember for years to come”—a golden badge.
This badge was engraved with the words “20th Anniversary,” integrated with the PM-ABC logo, and personalized with each guest’s name. It became a unique mark of honor for every attendee. Unlike consumables, the badge can be worn on clothing, and at any gathering it represents the prestige of having been invited to PM-ABC’s 20th anniversary. This gift, more than any typical keepsake, carried a touching sense of meaning and pride.
PM-ABC Instructors Walk the Star Avenue: Years of Dedication, Finally Stepping onto Their Own Red Carpet
For many years, PM-ABC instructors have dedicated themselves quietly—some for ten, others for twenty years—until finally, on this day, they became the true stars of the stage. As they stepped onto the star avenue, waving under the spotlight to the sound of thunderous applause, the emotion of that moment was beyond words. When they stood on stage, I deliberately arranged a small detail: asking them to face the audience and wave for a full fifteen seconds, so they could firmly hold onto their moment of glory.
I intentionally did not prepare traditional trophies. I know too well that many people, after receiving a trophy, struggle with where to place it—neither easy to throw away nor meaningful to keep. Instead, I personally pinned golden badges engraved with their names onto each of them. This ritual carried far more warmth than any cold trophy and truly made them feel the honor of being celebrated. In total, ten current PM-ABC instructors and five distinguished coaches received their own exclusive badges.
The role of a coach is truly special. Across northern, central, and southern Taiwan, more than 500 classes have been held, with a total of 610 coaches contributing over the years. Selecting just five “Distinguished Coaches” from among 610 was an exceptionally difficult task. Yet it is precisely because some have dedicated themselves continuously for over a decade that they are all the more deserving of receiving the highest honor on stage.
The Agile CEO Award Crystal Trophy: A Symbol of Torch Passing and Legacy
Next, as the CEO Award ceremony began, I personally led the winners down the star avenue, waving under the spotlight so the entire audience could witness and share their moment of glory. After receiving their crystal trophy, the winners raised it high, symbolizing the passing of a torch, much like the spirit of the Olympics. It was more than just a trophy—it represented a responsibility: to carry the flame of Agile culture forward and pass it on to the next generation.
(Top row, from left) Kuo-Chuan Chu, Chi-Feng Fang, Yi-Ya Hung, Chairperson Yeh, Host Roger, Kung-Ping Lin, Tung-Cheng Yang, Yu-Pin Wu, Hsiao-Wei Lin
(Bottom row, from left) Liang-Hsiu Yen, Chin-Yun Hu, Shih-Chih Lin, Chia-Yen Lu, Chun-Hua Chiu
2025 Global Agile CEO Award Winners
Top Three
- First Place: Hung, I-Ya – Thinker Digital Marketing Ltd. CEO
- Second Place: Lin, Kung-Ping – WSP Managing Director, Asian region
- Third Place: Fang, Chi-Feng – Kaohsiung City Government, Chief Secretary of the Agriculture Bureau
Other Honorees (listed alphabetically by surname)
- Chu, Kuo-Chuan – SunrisePEC/Sunrise-Eden Technology Co. CEO
- Chiu, Chun-Hua – Founder & Chairman of G.C. Corp
- Hu, Chin-Yun – Senior Sales Manager / Compute & Digital Sales HPE Taiwan
- Lin, Hsiao-Wei – Nymph Management Ltd. CEO
- Lu, Chia-Yen – AI DataBrushing Technology Founder & CEO
- Lin, Shih-Chih – Program Manager, IT Division, Nanya Technology Corporation
- Wu, Yu-Ping – AIRQ CO., LTD CEO
- Yang, Dung-Cheng – Dean of the GSS Institute of Information Science
- Yen, Liang-Hsiu – Athemaster Founder & CEO
Let the World See Taiwan Shine in Project Management and Agility
The end of the event was not the finish line—it was the beginning of marketing. Media coverage has already rolled out in seven consecutive waves, surpassing 200 reports in total, far exceeding previous years. International exposure has also increased significantly, giving Taiwan’s Agile movement greater weight on the global stage.
Over the past 20 years, PM-ABC has cultivated more than 20,000 PMP professionals, many of whom have risen to senior executive positions. This grand celebration was not just a commemoration, but a milestone that truly showcased PM-ABC’s influence. The ten international judges—all serving as volunteers—shouldered an exceptionally heavy workload, fully demonstrating both their spirit of service and their professional commitment.
Coverage of the CEO Award was extensive: international media alone published 168 features. For details, please refer to the complete list of reports at the bottom of the CEO Award homepage.
Here are 10 carefully selected platforms that are the most representative, influential, or internationally visible—ideal for promotional highlights:
- Benzinga – A well-known U.S. financial media outlet, influential among investors and business decision-makers.
- MENAFN (Middle East North Africa Financial Network) – An international financial news network covering the Middle East and global markets.
- Taiwan Business Journal – Focused on Taiwan’s business news, with strong local influence.
- The Taiwan Post – Comprehensive coverage of Taiwan’s key news with an international perspective.
- Taiwan Daily News – A Taiwanese media outlet emphasizing mass communication power.
- Asia Media News – A pan-Asian media network that enhances regional visibility across Asia.
- American Business Times – A mainstream U.S. business news platform.
- FOX 21 Colorado Springs (CO) – A local FOX affiliate in the U.S., offering international exposure value.
- WPIX CW 11 New York City (NY) – A major New York metropolitan news platform with high visibility.
- KRON 4 San Francisco (CA) – A local TV news station in Silicon Valley/San Francisco, reaching the core of the tech and business community.
This list covers three key dimensions:
- International Finance & Business Media (Benzinga, MENAFN, American Business Times)
- Taiwan Local Media (Taiwan Business Journal, The Taiwan Post, Taiwan Daily News)
- U.S. Mainstream News & TV Networks (FOX, WPIX, KRON)
- This combination highlights international authority, strong local connections in Taiwan, and influential presence in the U.S. market.
Taiwanese Leaders Sweep the Global Agile CEO Awards, Setting a New Record in International Media Coverage
- Yahoo – https://bit.ly/4mKshs8
- My People News – https://www.mypeoplevol.com/2025/life/41242
- Post News – https://91postnews.com/life/33208
- Yam News – https://n.yam.com/Article/20250818494381
- Formosa Live News – https://formosalive.com/archives/177984
- Owlting News – https://news.owlting.com/articles/1105122
- PChome News – https://news.m.pchome.com.tw/living/mypeople/20250818/index-7554900760
- Life News – https://life.tw/?app=view&no=2800793
- Mega News – http://www.contentplatform.info/articles/368819/
Perfection Lies in the Details
The attendance rate of 300 guests reached an impressive 96%, thanks to three meticulously designed pre-event notifications. From the initial reminder, to showcasing the personalized badge sample, and finally the last notification three days before the event, every step ensured the guests kept the celebration top of mind. Even so, a few absences occurred due to flight delays or scheduling oversights—valuable lessons in risk management for future events.
As the PO, I deeply understood that “the devil is in the details.” Whether it was press releases, badge design, or the flow of the ceremony, I personally reviewed and refined each element. The final outcome was almost indistinguishable from my vision of perfection—achieving a completion level of 98 to 99 out of 100.
Conclusion: Honor, Vision, and Breakthrough
During the preparation period, I unfortunately fractured my left hand, yet I still managed to complete the project. When I was unable to personally pin the badges on the instructors, volunteers and ceremonial ambassadors stepped in to assist, making up for my limitation. This ceremony was not only a professional challenge but also one of the most difficult personal trials in my life.
The event combined PM-ABC’s 20th Anniversary with the Global Agile CEO Award. With 300 guests, a 96% attendance rate, and the successful fusion of two major projects, it became a symbol of both honor and breakthrough.
It was not only the ultimate demonstration of project management and Scrum spirit, but also a moment that allowed the world to witness PM-ABC’s 20 years of impact. This was a moment of glory belonging to Taiwan, to Agile, and to every participant who shared in it.
