Inspiring Woman in Fleet : Alexandra Melville (Accenture)

Accenture is a giant corporation offering professional services around the globe, employing more than 720,000 in 120 countries. Alexandra Melville is Accenture’s Global Car Fleet & Mobility Manager. Not only is she a veteran of the Fleet and Mobility ecosystem, but she’s also risen through the ranks. That atypical career path makes her all the more inspiring as a woman in fleet.

A smile lights up Alexandra Melville’s face, her bespectacled eyes emphasizing an attentive gaze that always gives its full attention to whomever she is speaking with. Alexandra is frank, direct and professional, but always with a caring touch. Born to a Dutch mother and a Scottish father, she now calls Nice home. So perhaps it’s the brightness and warmth of the Mediterranean that I see reflected in her smile.

In 2017, Alexandra won Fleet Europe’s International Fleet Mobility Award. Some quotes from the jury report on het winning project: “A well-structured governance model for the transition from fleet management to mobility management”; and “A clear focus on employee satisfaction”.

The award was for a project that offered an effective means of alternative mobility. This is in addition to the Fleet Europe Mobility Award that was accorded to Alexandra in 2010 for a project implementing new mobility modes, including a mobility package in the Netherlands, or the carpooling programme in France for Accenture employees.

Her career, in short, has been an action-packed adventure, both at the personal and the professional level.

Alexandra, your professional story shows that it’s possible to go far even within one and the same company.

“You could indeed say that I started at the very bottom of the ladder, in 1995 as a secretary – and I say that without denigrating that job. It’s a very useful one. And a very instructive one too. In September 2000, I became an assistant in the Procurement department. I continued climbing up the ladder all the way up to December 2021, when I was appointed Global Car Fleet and Mobility Manager. In that role, I’m in charge of strategy and innovation, as well as fleet operations and integration, the latter within the framework of Accenture’s acquisitions.”

Which accomplishment are you most proud of?

“Perhaps AlphaCity, the project with Alphabet that won me the Fleet Europe Mobility Award in 2010. It was a brand-new project, setting up a mobility department that designed innovative corporate mobility solutions. The project, launched by Alphabet France, consisted of a car-sharing programme between various corporate fleets.”

And what has disappointed you?

 “When projects drag on. When I can't move forward. I always try to be at the forefront of things and to be innovative. It annoys me when things take too long.”

Who inspired you?

“In 2004, the then Procurement Director for France and the Benelux didn’t believe in me. At that time, I was in Procurement, and he doubted my abilities enough to ask me, bluntly: ‘Do you really want to stay in Procurement?’ At the time, it was hurtful; but ultimately, it boosted my motivation. I said to myself: ‘You’ll see!’ He has since left the company, but he’s still in my network, we still meet up!”

“And then of course Alain Duez is an obvious inspiration. Alain (more than 20 years at Accenture, now at Headlight and Let it Fleet, Ed.) understood how I worked. We were complementary, an inseparable duo. I needed someone who trusted me, and he liked taking a chance on a new person. He gave me the opportunity to ‘do the job’.”

“Last but not least I should mention my husband, who allowed me to pursue a professional career by taking care of the kids and putting his own career on the backburner.”

How would you describe yourself?

“I like a job well done, but I also think I’m pretty discreet. To say it in French: I’m more about savoir faire (knowing how to get things done, Ed.) than about faire savoir (advertising my achievements, Ed.) Fundamentally, I’m passionate, hardworking, independent, and autonomous. I’m a bit impatient, I think, but that’s because I care.”

What makes an Inspiring Woman?

“Listen to what’s inside you. Be yourself and commit to the things you believe in – but with respect for others and without hurting them. And then it’s just a matter of work… a lot of work. Nevertheless, also work on being free, autonomous, independent.

I appreciate the ‘Inspiring Women in Fleet’ initiative. There are more and more of us in this industry. And we have to make clear that we too are warriors for this industry.”

Which do you feel are the most important trends in the industry?

“Firstly, the way in which our job has professionalized! Twenty-five years ago, we were trained on the job, and there really weren’t any well-defined roles. We’ve come a long way since, and now our jobs are clearly and fully described – even as they constantly evolve. That evolution is towards mobility, and that’s the second big trend. We must adapt, and the challenge is to offer corporate travel options within a multimodal mobility environment.”

What’s your next challenge?

“We want to focus on the decarbonization of our fleets everywhere around the world. That’s an incredibly difficult challenge, because conditions in, say, India or LatAm are obviously very different from those in Europe. But we’ll get there in the end.”

If you didn’t have this job, which one would you have?

“I like to help people and make their lives easier. This may surprise some people, but I think I’d like to be an executive secretary, or a nursery assistant! (laughs).”

IDENTITY CARD
Name	Alexandra Melville
Company	Accenture
Current position	Global Car Fleet & Mobility Manager
Previous roles	EMEA car Fleet and Mobility lead & global subject Matter expert Finance and Legal Category Lead Sourcing lead
Awards	International Fleet mobility award (2017) Fleet Europe Mobility Award (2010)

Thierry Degives