Becoming a PRINCE2 Master has boosted my professional credibility

Anton Genchev, COO Vsystem Ltd, and PRINCE2 Master

Anton Genchev shares why he chose to attain the PRINCE2 Master designation, and the benefits it’s brought to his approach to organizational change and risk management, as well as his overall professional credibility.

I chose to become a PRINCE2 Master because I believe that successful project management is about more than following processes and delivering projects on time. It is about creating value, managing change, and delivering meaningful outcomes. Throughout my career, I've worked across different methods and frameworks, including ITIL, Agile, and DevOps. I wanted to deepen my understanding of project management and connect these disciplines to become a more effective leader.

PRINCE2 Master boosts skills to manage constant and complex change

This expertise is especially pertinent at a time when we face constant change. PRINCE2 Master has strengthened my ability to maintain strategic control while remaining flexible in rapidly changing environments. It has helped me balance governance with agility, ensuring that decisions remain aligned with business objectives without slowing down delivery. For example, as part of my role to manage IT operations, cross-functional teams, and business transformation initiatives, I have applied the manage by exception and continuous business justification principles, tailoring them to respond effectively to changing priorities.

I’m also applying project governance, risk management and business justification more frequently as we progress transformation projects including AI initiatives. We are ‘brain first’ not AI first and this in itself is a way of managing the risks associated with AI.

For instance, our teams use AI to identify risks when planning an event for the press or for customers, but they are encouraged to consider where the AI could introduce risk too.

More generally, PRINCE2 Master has provided me with the strong foundations needed to manage complex and new projects, which I complement with continuous learning and practical experience.

Aligning projects, programmes and portfolios with organizational goals

Becoming a PRINCE2 Master has also strengthened my overall ability to connect project delivery with broader organizational objectives, ensuring that initiatives contribute to measurable business outcomes rather than simply delivering outputs.

The portfolio element was one of the parts I enjoyed the most and made complete sense to me in the way we bring on new suppliers.

We onboard companies using a mature, standardized model that builds on the experience of bringing other suppliers into our range of products.

The first time we did an onboarding we used agile. Now, each time we introduce a new company, we use waterfall because the process is standardized but adapted to the unique qualities of the brand we’re bringing in. Plus, by using this maturing approach, we can see exactly how it will deliver the best outcome for our overall company goals. The combination of project, programme, and portfolio management means I better understand how to prioritize investments, manage dependencies, allocate resources, and maintain alignment with strategic goals. And I think one of the most important lessons to come from the designation is that successful project delivery does not automatically mean business success. The real measure of success is whether the expected benefits are realized and contribute to organizational strategy.

Deeper expertise in risk management

Since acquiring my PRINCE2 Master designation I now approach risk management more proactively rather than reactively. So for example, we know from having done past press launches or customer events what is likely to be the high-level risk, and where the uncertainty and dependencies lie. We can then plan a better outcome.

Generally PRINCE2 Master has reinforced the importance of identifying, assessing, and managing risks throughout the project lifecycle, while ensuring that risk responses remain proportionate to their potential business impact. One of the most valuable learnings is that effective risk management is not about eliminating all risks, but about making informed decisions, balancing threats and opportunities, and maintaining control without unnecessarily slowing down delivery.

Improved skill in stakeholder engagement and collaboration

In my experience managing cross-functional IT teams, business operations and organizational transformation initiatives, I have found that successful collaboration depends on more than structured communication. It requires an understanding of stakeholder needs, and the ability to involve the right people in decisions at the right time.

Building trust is also a must-have competency. That’s because successful projects are delivered by people, not processes. Frameworks provide structure, but effective communication, collaboration, and stakeholder commitment are what turn that structure into business results.

Sustainable organizational change

The combination of project, programme, and change management knowledge has helped me move beyond delivering individual projects to focusing on sustainable organizational improvements and long-term benefits. One of the biggest takeaways is recognizing that delivering a successful project does not necessarily mean delivering a successful transformation. Real success comes when people adopt the change, the organization realizes the expected benefits, and those improvements remain sustainable over time.

And there’s no doubt that PRINCE2 Master has positively contributed to my professional reputation, particularly within the training and education sector. It has strengthened my credibility as a trainer, allowing me to deliver training with greater authority and demonstrate a high level of expertise across project, programme, and portfolio management.