How can one progress from being a Project Manager to becoming an executive

Question

As far as I know, becoming a Director of Project Management is the only way to enter the executive ranks, but I'm wondering if there is any other path forward. Any thoughts on this?

Answer 1

All of it boils down to personal interest, the relationships you have built in the company, and your ability to perform a role.

While the Project Management Officer leadership is a natural progression for some Project Management professionals, if you've developed sufficient domain knowledge about a product, capability, or service, you could aspire to a Product Owner/Manager role.

I have also seen Project Management professionals step into COO type roles, given the significant overlap in the competencies needed to succeed in both these roles.