On behalf of the IPMA Executive Board, we express our sincere condolences on the passing of Mr. Klaus Pannenbäcker, former President and Chairperson of the Council of IPMA, Honorary Fellow, and one of the most influential figures in the development of modern project management standards and certification systems.

The GPM Deutsche Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement, Germany’s national member association of the IPMA, honors Klaus Pannenbäcker as one of the defining personalities in the history of both organizations. Through his work within GPM and later within the IPMA, he played a decisive role in establishing project management as an international profession built on competency, responsibility, and collaboration across borders.

Born in 1935, Pannenbäcker studied electrical engineering at the Technical University of Dortmund before beginning his career in 1959 at Siemens-Schuckert AG. He later worked for Kraftwerkunion AG, where he gained firsthand experience managing large and technically demanding industrial projects. Those years would leave a lasting mark on his professional philosophy. For him, project management was never an abstract theory. It was a practical discipline built on structure, accountability, communication, and clearly defined competencies.

In 1981, he founded GABO GmbH, a company specializing in applied project management and technical documentation. Two decades later, in 2001, he transferred ownership of the company to his employees – a decision that reflected the values that defined much of his career: trust, responsibility, and long-term development.

At the same time, Klaus Pannenbäcker became one of the leading figures in the professionalization of project management within GPM. From 1983 to 1994, he served on the organization’s executive board and played an important role during a formative period in which project management in Germany evolved from a collection of methods into a recognized professional discipline with defined structures and standards.

His influence extended far beyond national borders. Pannenbäcker was deeply involved in the development of competency-based qualification and certification systems that later became the foundation of the IPMA Four-Level Certification System based on the IPMA Competence Baseline (ICB). Today, this framework remains one of the world’s most influential standards in project management certification and competency development.

He believed strongly that successful project management could not be learned through theory alone. Practical experience, personal growth, and exchange with others were central to his understanding of the profession. During an interview surrounding the introduction of ICB 4, he summarized this philosophy by saying of many certification candidates: “They learned much about project management from others and gained experience in practice.” The statement also captured the way he approached his own work throughout his life.

Klaus Pannenbäcker also became one of the key international ambassadors of the IPMA approach to project management. During the 1990s, acting as a “First Assessor,” he helped establish IPMA organizations in 18 countries while introducing training and certification systems across multiple regions. His work contributed significantly to spreading a shared competency-based understanding of professional project management throughout the growing international IPMA network.

Within the IPMA itself, Klaus Pannenbäcker held several highly influential leadership positions. He served as IPMA President from 1994 to 1996 and later as Chairman of the Council. During this period, he helped strengthen cooperation among member associations and supported the continued international expansion of the organization. Colleagues and partners often described him as someone who combined technical precision with openness and international thinking. He maintained high professional standards while remaining approachable and collaborative.

Beyond his strategic and organizational achievements, he remained closely connected to education and knowledge transfer. As a senior trainer for GPM and lecturer at universities of applied sciences, he worked extensively to spread professional project management standards internationally.

Despite his international reputation, those who knew him personally often emphasized his practical mindset. He focused less on theoretical debates and more on helping organizations deliver projects more effectively. He was regarded as structured and precise, yet always willing to listen and exchange perspectives. His clarity and discipline were never ends in themselves, but tools to improve collaboration and strengthen professional growth.

In recognition of his contributions, Pannenbäcker was honored in 1998 as one of the four founding assessors of PM-ZERT and later named honorary chairman of GPM. In 2025, GPM and the IPMA honored him once again during the IPMA World Congress in Berlin, recognizing him as one of the defining pioneers of modern project management.

His passing marks the loss of one of the profession’s most important architects. Yet his influence remains deeply embedded in international standards, certification systems, educational structures, and in the professional culture of project management itself. More importantly, he will be remembered by many as a mentor, colleague, and advocate for a profession that he helped shape with expertise, integrity, and humanity.

“With Klaus Pannenbäcker, the GPM Deutsche Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement, as well as the global project management community, loses a figure who played a decisive role in building and shaping project management in Germany and far beyond over many decades. His legacy endures – professionally, institutionally, and personally,” said GPM President Peter Thuy.

„On behalf of IPMA: International Project Management Association and the global project management community, I express our deepest condolences on the passing of Klaus Pannenbäcker. Klaus was one of the true pioneers of modern project management and a visionary whose work shaped generations of professionals around the world. His dedication to competence-based education and certification, together with the creation of the IPMA 4-Level Certification system, left a lasting impact on our profession and on IPMA itself.
Beyond his remarkable achievements, Klaus will be remembered as a respected leader, mentor, and friend who inspired people across continents with his knowledge, commitment, and humanity. His legacy lives on through the global community he helped build. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues, and all members of GPM Deutsche Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement e. V. during this difficult time.
Ruhe in Frieden, Klaus. You will be greatly missed and forever remembered!“ — Mladen Vukomanović, IPMA President

On behalf of

IPMA International Project Management Association

GPM Deutsche Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement