Igniting potential: a human approach to project management

Working on a global scale

Antonio joined TMC seven years ago and, for the past five years, has worked primarily with a German multinational: a global leader in adhesive technologies, beauty care, and laundry and home care. His workdays often start early with online meetings in Shanghai, where he leads a project to build a new production facility. In the afternoon, his focus shifts to Mexico, where he oversees three separate projects, including the construction of a new plant and several Brownfield projects.

At the same time, Antonio is supporting a pharmaceutical project in Italy for a multinational company dedicated to collecting plasma and producing plasma-derived therapies. These therapies are used to treat and prevent rare and serious conditions such as coagulation and neurological disorders, as well as immunodeficiencies.

It's this variety that makes him so loyal to TMC. “Thanks to TMC, I get to work on different projects all over the world. That gives me energy and makes me happy,” he says.

Teacher, mentor and lifelong learner

Alongside his work in industry, Antonio also teaches project management at LUISS Business School, one of Italy’s top-ranked institutions. There, he shares his expertise not only on planning and risk management, but also on career development and the importance of soft skills. “I strongly believe in guiding young people. Not just giving them the tools, but helping them build confidence and direction.”

He prefers to call himself a mentor. “I want to understand, connect, and support,” he says. And he leads by example: Antonio is an avid learner himself. He invests heavily in books. Not the ones as ‘how to become a leader’, but on technical and behavioural skills that require self-reflection. He also attends high-level executive courses across Europe.

“You need to be able to look in the mirror,” he says. “Accept your weaknesses. Either improve them, or surround yourself with people who can complement them. That’s how great teams function. Project management is never a one-man show.”

The power of soft skills

To Antonio, soft skills are the heart of great project management. “You can learn the basics of project management, like time, cost, and scope, in two years. But what makes the difference is behaviour, communication, and empathy.” In the end, project management is about people.

While he sees the potential of AI in the field, he also sounds a note of caution. “Don’t let AI replace teambuilding. That early process, where people come together to create a plan, that’s where motivation and trust are built. Skip that, and you risk losing something essential.”

No ladder, just purpose and impact

Where many professionals chase promotions and ever-higher salaries, Antonio has a different vision. “I don’t want to become a director”, he says. “My goal in the coming years? To start a non-profit organisation that offers free project management training to people with limited resources, or to those who face barriers in traditional education systems, such as the deaf community”.

Antonio Bonanni is living proof that great project management isn’t just about spreadsheets, milestones or certificates. It’s about people, passion, and lifelong learning. His approach blends technical excellence with authentic human connection. And that makes him a powerful force, both within TMC and far beyond it.