APMG International

What APMG International does

APMG International is a UK-based professional certification and accreditation body operating globally under the legal entity The APM Group Limited. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in High Wycombe, the company designs, governs, and delivers professional certification schemes across seven categories: Agile and Lean, Change Management, Cyber Security, IT Service Management, Leadership and Business, Project Management, and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP). APMG does not deliver training itself — instead, it operates exclusively through a network of 500+ Accredited Training Organizations (ATOs) worldwide and a self-service public exam booking portal. The company has issued more than 2.6 million certifications across 192 countries, with adoption cited at 80% of the FTSE 100 and approximately one-third of the Fortune 500 and S&P 500.

The company's core technology is a proprietary examination delivery and assessment platform with automated marking, supported by online proctoring partnerships (ProctorU for AI + human live proctoring, and APMG In-Person Proctoring via Zoom for high-security environments). Candidate and partner operations are managed through dedicated portals — Candidate Portal, AO Portal, Invigilator Portal, and Public Exam Bookings — and successful candidates receive verifiable digital badges via Credly. APMG is accredited to ISO 17024:2012 by UKAS, the international standard for personnel certification bodies, and holds Cyber Essentials Plus certification.

Revenue is generated through three streams: per-examination and certification fees under a global uniform pricing model, recurring accreditation and partner fees from ATOs, and scheme development/governance fees from scheme owners including the World Bank (CP3P), Agile Business Consortium (AgilePM, AgilePgM, AgileBA), ISACA (COBIT, CISA, CISM), BCS (AI), and the Change Management Institute. Distribution combines enterprise-level scheme partnerships with high-volume, low-ticket exam transactions delivered through ATOs and self-study candidates, with regional offices across nine global territories.

Name

APMG International

Legal name

The APM Group Limited

Website

https://apmg-international.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

APMG International is a UK-based professional certification body operating globally under The APM Group Limited, designing and delivering 86 certifications across 7 categories to 2.6 million+ professionals in 192 countries through 500+ accredited training organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification and Accreditation Services

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Awarding Organizations & Credentialing Bodies (Certificates/Diplomas) (EDADAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Project, Program & Portfolio Management Certifications (EDAAANAB), ITSM Governance, Compliance & Audit Readiness (BPAEAJAM)

Keywords

• Professional certification services
• Accreditation body
• Certification exams
• Training organization accreditation
• Personnel certification schemes

Headquarters

HQ city

High Wycombe

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Examination and Certification Fees: APMG charges examination fees for each certification exam taken. Pricing follows a global uniform pricing model. Fees may be included in training organization course packages or paid separately by self-study candidates booking directly via APMG's public exam booking portal. Successful candidates receive a digital badge and e-certificate upon passing.
2. Accreditation and Partner Fees: APMG charges accreditation fees to training organizations (ATOs) that wish to deliver APMG certification programmes. This includes scheme evaluation, accreditation assessment, and ongoing quality assurance. Training organizations pay for the right to offer APMG exams and use APMG's certification framework and materials.
3. Scheme Development and Governance: APMG generates revenue by developing and governing certification schemes on behalf of scheme owners (e.g., World Bank for CP3P, Agile Business Consortium for AgilePM, ISACA for IT governance certifications). APMG handles exam design, quality assurance, and governance, while scheme owners provide the underlying intellectual property and frameworks.
4. Digital Badge Administration Fee: APMG charges a £25 administration fee for manually creating digital badges for candidates who previously passed exams and only received paper certificates before digital badges were introduced.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

APMG International is a global professional certification and accreditation body that designs, governs, and administers over 86 certification examinations across seven categories including Agile and Lean, Change Management, Cyber Security, IT Service Management, Leadership and Business, Project Management, and Public-Private Partnerships. The company earns revenue through examination fees, accreditation fees charged to a global network of 500+ Accredited Training Organizations (ATOs), and scheme development/governance partnerships with intellectual property owners such as the World Bank, ISACA, Agile Business Consortium, and the Change Management Institute.

Product overview

APMG International is a global professional certification and accreditation body offering over 86 certifications across multiple domains including Agile and Lean, Change Management, Cyber Security, IT Service Management, Leadership and Business, Project Management, and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP). The portfolio includes flagship certifications such as AgilePM, Change Management (surpassed 100,000 exams milestone), and CP3P (Public-Private Partnerships), alongside AI-focused credentials like AI Framework for Transformation, AI Project Governance Framework, and AI-Driven Project Manager. New launches include ESG Certification and Blue Ocean Strategy for Action certification. The company operates through an ecosystem of 500+ training organizations worldwide, with digital platforms including Candidate Portal, AO Portal, and Invigilator Portal for exam delivery and management. Certifications are delivered via online proctoring partnerships (ProctorU) and digital credential platforms (Credly).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CP3P: Certified Public-Private Partnerships Professional certification programme
• AgilePM
• APMP

Products and services

• Agile Project Management (AgilePM) Certification
• Change Management Certification
• Certified Public-Private Partnerships Professional (CP3P)
• ESG Certification
• Blue Ocean Strategy for Action Certification
• APMP Bid and Proposal Management Certification
• ISO/IEC 27001 Certification
• ISO/IEC 42001 Artificial Intelligence Management Systems Certification
• COBIT 2019 IT Governance Certification
• Better Business Cases Certification
• ISACA Certifications (CISA, CISM, CGEIT, CRISC)
• AI Project Governance Framework Certification
• Business Relationship Management (BRM/BRMP) Certification
• Candidate Portal
• APMG AO Portal
• Public Exams Booking Portal

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2.6 million people in 192 countries have achieved an APMG certification
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Training Resource CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2026APMG International developed its new ESG Certification programme in collaboration with Training Resource Center, with co-directors Al Marcella and Madeline Parisi as programme developers. The programme includes two role-based examinations (ESG Generalist and ESG Executive) and is designed to equip professionals with knowledge and practical understanding to embed responsible and sustainable practices across organisations.
• Blue Ocean Strategy AwardscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026APMG International partnered with the Blue Ocean Strategy Awards to launch the Blue Ocean Strategy for Action certification — a new professional credential designed to help practitioners apply the Blue Ocean Strategy framework using AI-enabled tools. APMG handles exam design, quality assurance, and governance. The certification draws on insights from over 400 organizations analyzed through the Blue Ocean Strategy Awards programme and covers tools including the Strategy Canvas, Buyer Utility Map, and ERRC Grid.
• World Bank Group / Multilateral Development Bank CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026APMG International, in collaboration with the World Bank Group and the broader Multilateral Development Bank community, launched an updated Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Guide and refreshed Certified Public-Private Partnerships Professional (CP3P) Program. This marks the first significant revision since the programme's 2016 introduction. APMG handles exam design, quality assurance, and governance; the World Bank provides the PPP framework intellectual property.
• Agile Business ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPMG International and the Agile Business Consortium published joint guidance highlighting the importance of outcome-focused project delivery versus output-focused delivery. The organizations note that outcome-focused management improves alignment with organizational strategy, enhances stakeholder confidence, and better motivates teams. This approach aligns naturally with agile environments through iterative delivery and continuous feedback cycles. APMG administers multiple agile certifications (AgilePM, AgilePgM, AgileBA, AgileDS) under licensing from the Agile Business Consortium.
• ISACAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPMG delivers ISACA certifications including COBIT 5, COBIT 2019, CISA, CISM, CGEIT, CRISC, and others under licensing from ISACA (Information System Audit and Control Association). APMG handles exam delivery and quality assurance for these certifications globally.
• BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPMG delivers the Artificial Intelligence certification in partnership with BCS. BCS is the scheme owner providing the AI framework and Body of Knowledge, while APMG handles accreditation, exam delivery, and certification governance.
• Change Management InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPMG's Change Management certification is based on the Change Management Institute's global Body of Knowledge. The certification has now surpassed 100,000 exams delivered globally, making it one of APMG's flagship programmes. APMG handles accreditation and exam delivery; the Change Management Institute provides the framework.
• ProctorU (Meazure Learning)majorTechnology or IntegrationAPMG uses ProctorU as its primary online proctoring partner for remotely invigilated exams. ProctorU combines AI and human live proctors to monitor exam sessions, verify candidate identity, and protect exam integrity. Exams are available 24/7 globally through ProctorU. ProctorU retains exam session recordings for 7 months in line with APMG's appeals period.
• BidCraftmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBidCraft is an APMG accredited training organization (ATO) that delivered APMP certification training to Amey's Bid and Proposal Team. BidCraft offers the BidCraft Academy online eLearning platform for flexible, self-paced APMP training. APMG accredited BidCraft to deliver APMP Foundation and Practitioner certification programmes.
• Credly (Youracclaim)majorTechnology or IntegrationAPMG uses Credly (operating under Youracclaim) as its digital badge platform. Successful candidates register on Credly to claim their digital badge and e-certificate, which can be embedded in email signatures, websites, social media, and digital CVs. Each certificate has a unique verifiable link allowing instant validation.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Project Management Institute (PMI): Owner and awarding body for PMP, CAPM, and the PMI standard family of project management certifications. PMI is the most recognized direct competitor to APMG's project management portfolio (AgilePM, PRINCE2-derived, Praxis, etc.) serving overlapping candidate and enterprise audiences globally.
• Scrum Alliance: Certifying body for Scrum Master, Product Owner, and other agile certifications. Directly competes with APMG's AgilePM, AgileBA, AgilePgM, and AgileDS certifications for the same agile practitioner audience.
• CompTIA: Major IT certification body issuing Security+, Network+, A+, and other foundational IT certifications. Overlaps with APMG's IT Service Management and Cyber Security portfolios, particularly at the entry-to-practitioner level.
• Scaled Agile (SAFe): Issuer of the SAFe framework certifications (SAFe Scrum Master, SAFe Agilist, etc.). Competes with APMG's agile and programme management certifications for enterprise agile transformation budgets, particularly at large Fortune 500 organizations.
• (ISC)²: Awarding body for the CISSP, CCSP, and other leading cybersecurity certifications. Competes directly with APMG's ISO/IEC 27001, Cyber Essentials, NCSF, and CIISEC cyber security certifications for the same cybersecurity professional segment.
• IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis): Awarding body for the CBAP, ECBA, and other business analysis certifications. Directly competes with APMG's AgileBA and business analysis-adjacent certifications for the same business analyst professional segment.
• PeopleCert: Global certification and accreditation body that acquired AXELOS and now owns PRINCE2, ITIL, and other major project management and IT service management certifications — directly competing with APMG across the same professional certification categories and exam delivery model.

Emerging players

• Coursera: Global online learning platform offering professional certificates and credentials from top universities and companies (Google, IBM, Meta). Represents an emerging alternative pathway for professional certification that competes for the same individual learner and enterprise L&D budget, particularly at the foundational tier.
• BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT: UK-based chartered professional body for IT that owns the AI certification framework APMG delivers under license. Functions as both a partner and partial competitor in IT governance, service management, and emerging AI credentials.

Broad incumbents

• ISACA: Owner of the COBIT, CISA, CISM, CGEIT, and CRISC intellectual property that APMG delivers under license, making ISACA simultaneously a strategic partner and the broader incumbent in IT governance and cybersecurity certification — overlapping directly with APMG's IT Service Management and Cyber Security categories.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/APMGInternational
• Facebookfacebook.com/APMGinternationalLTD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apmg-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/apmg_international
• Xx.com/APMG_Inter

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about APMG International