For over 30 years, we’ve been at the heart of agile and business agility. Get to know our story, the people behind it and the principles that guide everything we do.
From a small group of business leaders frustrated with rigid software development methods, to a global not-for-profit shaping how organizations deliver, adapt and thrive. Here’s how we got here.
The DSDM Consortium is born
A meeting of 16 organisations in London identified the need for a vendor-independent, productive way to build software. The Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) Consortium was founded as a member-based body representing both users and suppliers of technology. The first version of DSDM was drafted within six months, marking the start of a 30-year journey in agile thinking.
1994
Signatories of the Agile Manifesto
The DSDM Consortium was one of 17 co-signatories of the Agile Manifesto for Software Development, the only signatory not based in the US. Represented by Arie van Bennekum of our Benelux partnership, the Consortium took its place alongside the creators of Scrum and other pioneering frameworks, giving us a foundational role in shaping global agile thinking.
2001
AgilePM is launched
The Consortium uncoupled the project management elements of DSDM and published the Agile Project Framework as a method-independent approach to agile projects. AgilePM was born, targeting project managers around the world. Today it is one of the most widely adopted agile project management certifications globally, with over 250,000 certified practitioners.
2010
Rebrand to the Agile Business Consortium
By 2016, it was clear that agile approaches were needed across the whole organisation, not just in IT and software development. We broadened our scope from software methods to business agility, rebranded as the Agile Business Consortium and announced our new direction at the annual conference. The Consortium became a champion of agility across every part of the business.
2016
The Framework for Business Agility takes shape
To support our wider mission, we created the Framework for Business Agility (FBA). Covering strategy, culture, leadership, governance and operations, the FBA gave organisations a comprehensive lens for assessing and improving their agility. It remains the foundation of much of our thinking and the basis of how we support members today.
2018
AgilePM v3 launches and reaches 250,000+ certified learners
AgilePM v3 was released, reflecting how agile delivery has evolved since the previous version. The course now including a realistic online simulation, deepening the practical capability the certification builds. The same year, the number of AgilePM certified learners surpassed 250,000 worldwide.
2024
A new chapter
With a refreshed brand, a new website and a sharpened focus on supporting the people delivering, leading and driving change, the Consortium enters its fourth decade ready for what comes next. We continue to be guided by the founding principles that have shaped us since 1994: collaboration, openness and a deep belief that business agility, done well, changes what organisations are capable of.
2026
Meet the team
A small team with a big purpose. The people behind the Consortium and the work we do.
Karen McAllen
Chief Executive Officer
Wayne Gosden
Marketing Director
Maher Hasan
Product Director
Katie Taylor
Learning and Development Lead & Chair of the Board
Hugh Ivory
Transformation Director
Stanimir Vasev
Digital Marketing Lead
Jennifer Martin
Operations Lead
Faye Wickham
Events and Communities Lead
Fallon Taylor
Knowledge and Content Lead
Niamh Trundle
Learning Designer
Dale Titcombe
Technology & Data Lead
Simon McCarthy
Modern Workplace and Automation Specialist
Richard Campbell
Product Engagement Lead
Emily Ruffle
Engagement Specialist
Dawn Newman
Communities Engagement
Christina Reet
Marketer
Claire Cocks
Strategic Engagement Lead
Our values
Principles for modern organizations
These values shape how we work, how we show up for our members, and how we think about the future of the practice. They’re not aspirational statements. They’re how we actually operate.
The Consortium brings together diverse people, knowledge and practical experience to help organisations and individuals become more adaptive, resilient and effective. Our work is about developing ‘agile thinking’, ‘agile being’, and ‘agile doing’ into practical capabilities that support better outcomes for people, customers and wider society.
Katie Taylor
Chair
Agile Business Consortium
There’s never been a greater need for organizations that can adapt and deliver. The Consortium’s job is to equip the people leading that change – through rigorous qualifications, a strong practitioner community, and a clear commitment to what good looks like.
Karen McAllen
CEO
Agile Business Consortium
Be part of what comes next
Our story is still being written. Join the people and organizations already here, building a world where adapting, learning and delivering are simply part of how good work gets done.
