Article: Chartered Managers on the reputational boost of accreditation Written by Dave Waller Tuesday 20 January 2026 Share Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email We spoke to many inspiring Chartered Managers in 2025 – and we kept hearing about the growth in reputation they say Chartered status has given them. Here are some of the things they told us. As 2026 kicks off, many managers are looking at how they can bolster their careers in the coming months. For inspiration, we’re looking back at the Chartered Managers we met in 2025, and reflecting on what they said CMI accreditation had done for them. Whether these managers were putting themselves forward for promotions or new positions, or simply shaping change within their organisation in their existing roles, they all experienced the world opening up once they had the letters ‘CMgr’ after their name. Lighting the way Last March, we named Dervan Alleyne CMgr MCMI our Chartered Manager of the Week. Dervan, who at the time was director of public and sport lighting solutions for Signify across the UK and Ireland, and is now in a director role at WSP, described CMI accreditation as “a badge of honour”. He told us that gaining Chartered status had played a key role in him also becoming vice president (and now president) of the Highways Electrical Association, the trade association responsible for the highways electrical sector. “You can use it to put yourself out there and say: ‘Look, I’ve applied myself to learn the skills to be part of something,’” he said. How has Chartered Manager status helped you? We’re always on the lookout for inspiring stories from our community of Chartered Managers. You could feature in an article on our website and in our member newsletter. Contact us Back in June, Lee Long CMgr MCMI, then a senior project manager (now project director) at construction group John Sisk & Son, walked us through his career in engineering. It had started accidentally, when he delivered milk to an opencast coal site. Working his way into management there came naturally, but Chartered status took him beyond what he was able to learn on the job. It served as a message to those above him that he was “ready for the next step”. “I wanted some letters after my name, to add a little professionalism to my profile and maybe open some doors that I thought may have a sandbag behind them,” said Lee. Winning new jobs In December, Szymon Wierny CMgr MCMI told us how Chartered status helped him make moves in the job market. While working for Ginsters, he was encouraged to go for the role of supply excellence lead at Mars Wrigley in Plymouth. In his interview for the role, he was quick to highlight his Chartered status and the frameworks and ethical standards he’d learned about during the accreditation process. And this, he said, was key to him beating a large pool of rival candidates. Keep reading – more Chartered insights Login or register below for Free Instant Access Login If you are already registered as a CMI Friend, Subscriber or Member, just login to view this article. Confirm your registration Login below to confirm your details and access this article. Log in Register for Free Access Not yet a Member, Subscriber or Friend? Register as a CMI Friend for free, and get access to this and many other exclusive resources, as well as weekly updates straight to your inbox. Article Our extensive range of articles are designed to keep you in the loop with all the latest management and leadership best practice, research and news. Members See More CMI Members have access to thousands of online learning and CPD resources. Learn more about our membership benefits Join The Community CMI offers a variety of flexible membership solutions, tailored to your needs. Find out more and get involved in the CMI community today.
