Business process management (BPM) in 2026: A leader’s perspective

PEX Network’s key takeaways: 

• The business process management (BPM) leader has evolved from process expert to enterprise translator.
• Many BPM initiatives stall because they’re treated as experiments in static workflows rather than adaptive systems that can learn, decide, and adapt in real time.
• BPM leaders must shift from mastering a fixed toolkit to ongoing learning and adaptation through curiosity, comfort with ambiguity, and the ability to connect strategy, data, and process.

BPM in 2026 is not just an operational efficiency tool – it is a strategic capability. It enables organizations to adapt faster, scale innovation safely, and align technology investments with business outcomes.

In a world where change is constant, BPM provides the structure and insight needed to turn complexity into competitive advantage. According to the PEX Report 2025/26, BPM is the leading technology organizations use to support business transformation, cited by 53 percent of respondents. Meanwhile, 39 percent of surveyed businesses are looking to invest in BPM in the next 12 months.

In this interview, Marianne Brown, senior project manager at Horizon Air Freight, gives a leader’s perspective on the opportunities, challenges, and misconceptions of BPM in 2026. 

You can hear more from Brown in the opening panel of All Access: Future of BPM 2026 on February 10!

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PEX Network: How has the role of a BPM leader changed in the last few years with the rise of AI, automation, and data-driven decision-making, and what skills are now non-negotiable?

Marianne Brown: The BPM leader has evolved from process expert to enterprise translator – someone who connects strategy, data, technology, and human behavior.

Today, non-negotiable skills include systems thinking, data literacy, comfort with artificial intelligence (AI) and automation concepts, and strong change leadership. Equally important is the ability to influence without formal authority and design processes that balance efficiency, governance, and experience.

PEX Network: What are the most common misconceptions senior leaders or teams have about AI in BPM, and how do those misconceptions limit the value organizations expect from it?

MB: One of the biggest misconceptions is that AI is a shortcut – that it can be layered onto broken or poorly understood processes and instantly provide value. In reality, AI amplifies whatever foundation it’s given so without clear process design, data integrity, and governance, it often increases complexity rather than reducing it.

Another misconception is viewing AI as a replacement for people instead of an augmentation tool, which limits its potential to improve decision-making quality, experience, and adaptability across the enterprise.

Register for All Access: AI in PEX 2026!

PEX Network: Why are many BPM initiatives allowed to ‘experiment’ but struggle to scale? What needs to change for BPM to be seen as a true transformation capability rather than a set of pilots?

MB: Many BPM initiatives stall because they’re treated as experiments in static workflows rather than adaptive systems that can learn, decide, and adapt in real time. Pilots are often disconnected from enterprise priorities, data strategy, or technology roadmaps, so they prove value at a functional level but can’t scale sustainably.

To change this, BPM needs to be positioned as a core transformation discipline anchored in end-to-end orchestration, supported by leadership, and embedded into how the organization designs, governs, and evolves work.

PEX Network: What role should senior leadership play in sustaining momentum for BPM initiatives beyond early experimentation?

MB: Senior leaders play a critical role in setting expectations that BPM is a long-term capability, not a one-time initiative. When results are incremental, leadership must protect momentum by reinforcing the strategic intent, celebrating progress, and aligning incentives to process outcomes, not just functional metrics. Most importantly, leaders need to model cross-functional thinking and resist the urge to revert to silos when change feels uncomfortable.

PEX Network: How do you stay current as a BPM leader, and what learning mindset or upskilling approach do you believe BPM professionals must adopt to remain relevant over the next five years?

MB: I stay current by pairing continuous learning with real-world application by experimenting with emerging technologies, staying close to practitioners, and grounding innovation in operational realities. I recently earned a certificate in AI for Digital Transformation from Cornell, which reinforced the importance of understanding not just the technology, but how AI reshapes the way we work, innovate, and lead.

Over the next five years it will be critical for BPM professionals to shift the mindset from mastering a fixed toolkit to ongoing learning and adaptation through curiosity, comfort with ambiguity, and the ability to connect strategy, data, and process.

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