Just a few years ago, the big question floating around the business world was whether artificial intelligence would be the death of the consulting industry. It seemed plausible, right? But instead of being replaced, one company has managed to ride the AI wave, turning a potential threat into its biggest opportunity. That company is Accenture, and the leader steering the ship is its trailblazing CEO, Julie Sweet.
Key Highlights
- ✓ In 2022, Julie Sweet made the call to exit Russia within a week of the invasion, incurring a $96 million loss for ethical reasons.
- ✓ Under her leadership, Accenture's market cap nearly doubled from $90 billion to $176 billion, with annual revenue surging from $41 billion to $65 billion.
- ✓ The company is betting big on AI, with a $3 billion investment, and has already booked $1.8 billion in AI revenue this fiscal year.
- ✓ Sweet championed a "leapfrog" strategy, pushing Accenture into cloud services early, which now account for nearly 50% of revenue.
- ✓ A former top lawyer, she became the ninth woman to make partner at the elite firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore before joining Accenture.
A Masterclass in Decisive Leadership
If you want to understand Julie Sweet’s leadership style, you just have to look back to February 2022. As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, corporate leaders around the globe were debating their next steps. At Accenture, which had a $120 million business and 2,300 employees in Russia, the debate was remarkably short-lived. Sweet huddled with her top team, and the decision was made with breathtaking speed.
"We got off the phone after one of those calls, and Julie said, ‘We’re getting out of Russia,’" recalled Accenture’s general counsel, Joel Unruch. "With less than 24 hours of thinking." On March 3, just a week after the invasion, they announced their exit. Sweet didn't wait to see what others would do; she acted. The move meant spinning off the Russian operation and taking a $96 million loss, but as she later said, "Sometimes the right thing to do is not clear. But Russia was super clear."
This wasn't a one-off. It’s her signature formula: study a topic intensely, gather insights from everywhere, and then make a bold, swift decision. It’s this approach that has made the $176 billion company an unlikely pioneer in a rapidly changing world. As Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser put it, "Julie is one of the top leaders in the corporate world, period. I mean, there aren’t many other people who can come close."
The 'Leapfrog' Strategy: Seeing Around Corners
Sweet’s philosophy isn't just about reacting to crises; it's about proactively seeking out moments of disruption. During the chaos of President Trump’s tariff announcements, she quickly connected with over 900 clients. Her advice was counterintuitive: don't take cover, take chances. "Making bold decisions now will mean more than during normal times," she told them, arguing that while competitors freeze, you should "leapfrog."
She practices what she preaches. Back in 2017, as CEO of Accenture North America, she saw that cloud technology was the future. While others were still focused on on-site data, she pushed Accenture headfirst into the cloud. The result? Cloud services now make up nearly half of the company's revenue. She did it again with generative AI, talking to CEOs about its potential long before ChatGPT became a household name.
That bet is already paying off handsomely. The company has booked $1.8 billion in AI revenue this fiscal year, delivered over 2,000 generative AI projects, and secured a massive $700 million, seven-year AI partnership with Australian telecom Telstra. Sweet's answer to the existential question, "Who needs Accenture in the age of AI?" is simple. AI is a tool, and the real value comes from reinvention. She’s making sure Accenture leads that charge.
Forged by Drive and a Father's Advice
Sweet's relentless drive wasn't born in a boardroom. Growing up in Tustin, California, her father was a master car painter, and money was tight. She landed her first job at 14 as a reservations clerk just to afford a second pair of shoes. She knew early on she wanted to be a lawyer, partly inspired by the whip-smart women on the TV show L.A. Law.
A defining moment came after she lost a high school speech contest. Complaining to her dad on the drive home, he gave her some tough love that stuck with her for life. He told her, "First of all, Julie, you’re never going to be the daughter of the president of the Lions Club... you have to be so much better than anyone else that they have to give it to you." That night, he said, she just wasn't that much better. It was her first taste of real, constructive feedback, and a lesson she never forgot.
That mentality propelled her through a distinguished law career at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, one of Manhattan’s most elite firms. She became only the ninth woman to make partner in its 170-year history and was even named "Dealmaker of the Year" in 2007. People just don't quit Cravath, but in 2010, Accenture came calling, and she took the leap.
Reinventing a Behemoth From the Inside Out
When Sweet joined Accenture as general counsel, she admits she didn't know much about technology—she didn't even know what the cloud was. So, what did she do? She assigned herself a tutor, meeting with a tech leader every two weeks for 18 months until she understood the fundamentals. It’s this commitment to deep learning that allows her to lead a tech-centric company so effectively.
She took over as global CEO in 2019 following the tragic death of her predecessor, Pierre Nanterme. She immediately showed her decisiveness, completely overhauling the company's structure in just six months to better align with client needs. More recently, she's restructuring again, combining five functions into a single unit called Reinvention Services to deliver more integrated solutions for clients.
Her vision also led to the 2019 acquisition of the renowned ad agency Droga5, which was rolled into what is now Accenture Song—the world's largest digital advertising agency. It was a move that added a core competency, creativity, to Accenture's arsenal. This is a leader who isn't afraid to tear down walls and rebuild the company to meet the future head-on.
The Leader Behind the Title
For all her corporate prowess, Sweet has a remarkably human side. In February, she publicly disclosed her second diagnosis of breast cancer, seeing it as an opportunity to advocate for regular self-exams. Her transparency and resolve were inspiring. "Had I tried to hide it, it would actually have been counter to who I am," she said.
Her colleagues and clients describe her as relentless yet deeply attentive. Vicki Brady, CEO of Telstra, said, "In every conversation I had with Julie, she was completely in that conversation... You felt like you could be her only client." This personal touch extends beyond business. She's been personally involved in resettling refugees, like Mohammad Hotak from Afghanistan, showing up at his empty apartment with furniture, food, and a team of volunteers to help his family get started.
She even donates high-quality beds to a non-profit, believing that good sleep is critical for success and well-being. These aren't the actions of a typical CEO; they're the actions of someone who leads with both her head and her heart. It’s this combination that makes her leadership so uniquely effective.
Conclusion
In the end, Julie Sweet’s story at Accenture is a powerful lesson in modern leadership. She has not only steered the consulting giant through immense uncertainty but has also positioned it to thrive by embracing the very technologies predicted to be its downfall. Her approach—a potent mix of rigorous analysis, fearless decision-making, and genuine human connection—is a blueprint for any leader navigating a world in constant flux.
She embodies the idea of "reinvention" that she preaches to her clients, constantly remaking herself and her company to stay ahead. By seeing around corners, from the cloud to generative AI, and leading with unshakeable conviction, she has ensured that in the age of AI, Accenture isn't just surviving; it's leading the way.
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