Julie Sweet to Become Accenture’s Chief Executive Officer

Julie Sweet, the current chief executive officer of Accenture’s (no. 7 on Fair360, formerly DiversityInc’s Top 50 list) business in North America, will take over as the company’s chief executive officer Sept. 1. David Rowland, the interim chief executive officer will become executive chairman.

Sweet’s current position has her leading the business in North America, the company’s largest geographic market, earning approximately $18 billion in 2018 and serving more than 70% of the Fortune 500.

The company also ranked in the following Fair360, formerly DiversityInc Specialty Lists: Supplier Diversity, People with Disabilities, Mentoring, Sponsorship and LGBT Employees. Accenture executives have participated in Fair360, formerly DiversityInc events such as Women of Color and Their Allies. Fair360, formerly DiversityInc career advice videos that feature top talent at Accenture highlight the company’s commitment to inclusivity.

Related Story: Accenture Says ‘Inclusion Starts With I’

Sweet has been on Accenture’s senior leadership team for almost a decade, previously serving as general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer. Her new role places her on Accenture’s board of directors.

Over 42% of Accenture’s global workforce is women. Accenture is working to achieve a gender-balanced workforce by 2025 and also have a 6,000-member Women’s Employee Resource Group. Among other roles, Sweet is also the co-chair of the Canada-United States Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders.  Sweet leads on topics including innovation, technology in business, and diversity and inclusion. She works with leaders of business, education and government to create a professional apprenticeship movement to address the critical skills gap and create inclusive environments for innovation.

In 2018, she appeared on FORTUNE’s Most Powerful Women list for the third year in a row.

Prior to joining Accenture in 2010, Sweet was part of the Corporate department of the law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. She holds a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School.

“Julie is the right person to lead Accenture into the future, given her strong command of our business and proven ability to drive results in our largest market,” Rowland said in a press release. “We are on a positive growth trajectory at Accenture and are very well-positioned to continue building on our strong momentum. I am so pleased and proud that Julie will lead our company, and I am excited to work with her — along with our entire senior leadership team — to ensure a seamless transition and on Accenture’s next phase of growth and market leadership.”

In the news release, Sweet said she feels honored to be assuming the role and continuing to work alongside Accenture’s leadership and outlined how she hopes to continue the company on its path of innovation.

“Accenture has the most talented people and group of leaders in our industry,” she said. “Together, we will capture the next waves of growth for Accenture by remaining laser-focused on serving our clients, creating significant value for our shareholders and providing the best career experiences for our people.

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