NEWS

16Jun
2022

Manager portrait and leasing market snapshot with Olena Tymofiyiva

Manager portrait and leasing market snapshot with Olena Tymofiyiva

The car industry is about passion and people, and there’s no difference in these with men or women. (interview with figyelo.hu)

1. Women managers are fortunately no longer a rarity, and the car trade is no longer a male-dominated business, but that was not always the case. How did you get involved in motor vehicles and become a manager at the world's largest fleet operator?

There’s no questioning the automotive industry has been dominated by men, but women have always been part of it and have taken a significant role. I hope to represent not an exception but an example. 

I stumbled into the automotive industry by accident and decided to stay. There were a few things that helped me on my way. First of all, it was state of mind. I have always approached opportunities and challenges with confidence and without concern about whether there will be obstacles to my success because I’m one of a few females. I do not dwell on the gender issue. Second of all, I worked hard because we all know there’s no substitute for hard work. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in. And finally, I stayed true to who I am.

The car industry is about passion and people, and there’s no difference in these with men or women. Moreover, the car itself is evolving as a product from being a piece of equipment and a transportation tool, to becoming a service-based consumer device. And service is a very diversified and sophisticated area of expertise by itself, where skills like empathy and ability to transform are essential to manage fast changing customer demands.

 

2. To what extent was it a disadvantage that female leaders often mention the invisible glass ceiling that is considered unbreakable?

I was not thinking in that direction, but you take me to that, so I’ll go along with you. First of all, I would like to quote Madeleine Albright who gave the following advice to women: “Work hard, there seems to be enough room in the world for mediocre men, but not for mediocre women.” 

My career path itself was a combination of taking different risks and exploring different opportunities. When I started, it was not so common to see many women in leading positions, particularly in the car industry. But times are changing, and I see progress: probably not as fast as I would wish, but change still. At ALD Automotive we have taken significant steps forward in supporting competent and professional women colleagues and promoting the culture of diversity, and we are committed to continue in that direction.

 

3. Have you held senior positions in several countries before? What is the most important thing for you to be able to adapt to the market (how you adapt)?

Yes, I have multi-cultural experience and this is probably one of the most enjoyable part of my career. Ukrainian by origin, I have been nominated to become General Manager of ALD Automotive Bulgaria in 2018 and General Manager of ALD Automotive Hungary since 2020. Working and living in a different country and stepping into an unknown environment, brings challenges, but also fosters invaluable growth.  The key for successful accommodation in a foreign country is ability to adapt your behaviour conform to new cultural contexts without losing your unique authentic self in the process. Curiosity, flexibility, and open-mindedness towards different cultures and their peculiarities makes the adaptation smooth and quick.

My experience in Hungary is very positive! I like the country, and I like living in Budapest, which I find a vivid and charming city.

 

4. The automotive market and the fleet business that goes hand in hand with it have experienced several roller-coaster rides over the last decade. As an expert in the financial field, what lessons have you learned from the market changes brought about by the 2008 global crisis?

The eruption of the financial crisis 14 years ago and current happenings both caught the experts largely by surprise. Probably, the main lesson used is that diversification and efficiency are essential in managing your sustainability. Extreme wealth can be created from concentrated portfolios, but more often than not, wealth can be destroyed in the same manner. The same rule is applicable to supply chain.

Another important lesson to be taken into consideration is the importance of being prepared and innovative.  The current market shift will most probably become an accelerant for a societal jump to the next platform. The previous crisis brought the transformation in how people used the web and the devices it’s accessed on. New disruptive change can be expected practically from everywhere and companies should be monitoring it and be prepared both technically and in terms of mindset.

 

5. The covid epidemic, the rise of the home office and the related collapse of logistics chains, particularly the chip shortage, has once again fundamentally shaken up company car use and the fleet market. How have ALD adapted to the change in company car use patterns, with people driving their cars less and some large companies taking back company cars from some of their employees?

At ALD Automotive, we are constantly looking at how to pair innovative, high value solutions with digital technology to make clients’ lives easier, especially today, when the whole industry is shaking. ALD Flex is the perfect example of that commitment. Simple and cost-effective, ALD Flex provides an all-inclusive vehicle offering (full maintenance, insurance, tires, breakdown assistance…) for mid-term usage, ranging from 1 to 24 months on average, at an optimal set monthly rate. A broad range of vehicle categories, from compact cars to light utility vehicles, is available for immediate use and vehicles can be selected by budget, type of transmission, powertrain and CO2 emissions.

Greater flexibility in mobility is essential in uncertain times such as the current context, but also supports long-term strategies by allowing companies to diversify their mobility strategy, simplify the overall management of their mobility resources through one single provider and optimize total cost of mobility by maximizing vehicle usage as needed.

 

 6. Fleet management companies are always very precise in their calculations of what mileage should be matched by what service costs. How ALD can adapt to the dramatic delay in new car deliveries due to a lack of chips?

While we cannot do anything to solve the global semiconductor crisis or hurry up delivery times, we are doing everything we can to make it as stress-free as possible for our clients. Whilst less abundant than usual, we are still sourcing fantastic in-stock lease deals for quick delivery, and our focus is on being as open and transparent with our customers in regards to any potential delays or cancellations on orders. I would like to point out few approaches that can be taken: first of all, anticipate your renewals. From our side we try to adapt and to be as flexible and client oriented as possible, offering both formal and informal contract extensions. Secondly, consider the alternatives. If your regular brands and models are particularly affected by delays, we can help you explore equivalent brands and models.

 

7. The calculations used by fleet management companies are always based on historical data. How can you calculate new electric cars without a history, where there are no figures for servicing or depreciation?

Indeed, in the past, pricing settings and calculations were mainly based on statistical models and historical transaction data. Right now, this exercise is overcomplicated by the fast moving environment, lack of comparable data due to technology switch, constant entrance of the new market players and different levels of maturity across the countries as well as introduction of governmental incentives supporting or downgrading certain market trends.

All these factors shift our focus towards contextual data and expert based insights. It is first of all about tracking the market environment and the evolution of subsidies, prices and technology. But it is also related to business practices, like changes in EV usage, battery management, TCO estimation and upgrade in ecosystem. It is definitely a very sophisticated task, full of challenges and risks, but also an exciting one, allowing us to create the future of mobility.

 

8.In an interview you said that the future lies in electric cars. What is the challenge for you as a fleet management company in the face of an unprecedented technological shift in the car industry?

The technology shift in the automotive industry is in full swing nowadays. We are especially exposed to the rapid changes in the area of e-mobility and intelligent vehicles. This development is likely to further accelerate. Globally, electric vehicle sales grew 80% in 2021 and OEMs announce billions of investment into electrification. Unfortunately, the cultural change is yet to come in full force. It is partially related to EVs' operational management: charging infrastructure, range of EVs, maintenance, but also to awareness, upgrade of driving habits and expectations. While challenges to the electrification persist, opportunities worth fighting for also lay ahead. In ALD Automotive we are constantly working in this direction to support our customers in their transition towards green, advanced and sustainable mobility concepts.

 

9. In your experience, what is the most important change in recent years - for example, linked to the fact that customers now expect a full service for a price - that is being felt/trend in company car use and therefore in the fleet market, and how are you/ALD responding to it?

For me the most important change is the mindset itself. Our business is moving people, but also moving mindsets. ALD Automotive targets to become a provider of “fully-integrated sustainable mobility”.  We have already launched ALD Move, the company’s first Mobility-as-a-Service app, in several countries. ALD Move helps your employees in making smart decisions by providing daily mobility advice taking into account an employee’s own calendar, real-time traffic data, companies’ objectives (such as CO2 emissions, TCO, etc). Users get insights in their budget and travel history and advice on a range of mobility offerings (including public transport, car sharing, bicycle and the leased car itself) to improve efficiency and encourage responsible mobility behaviour. ALD Move is a clear example of how we use technology, partnerships and industry expertise to improve the day to day mobility of our clients to ensure that they benefit from best-in class mobility solutions that are efficient, flexible and sustainable.

 

10.How much has changed in recent years the way you finance your car and your relationship with financiers?         

ALD Automotive is the operational leasing and fleet management business line of Societe Generale Group – one of the largest European bank. Therefore, our business activity is very stable and directly funded by the group.

 

11.Outsiders believe that fleet management companies, including the market leader ALD, have a significant impact on the life of individual brands and on trends in the automotive industry through their purchases, given their scale. To what extent do you think this is true, and how much do ALD help and guide the customers in their choices?

The world of mobility is changing rapidly, with a variety of trends causing a change in mobility needs. Our role is not to promote any brand, but to become an advisor, able to deliver tailor made solutions to our clients across markets. Not every driver has the same requirements; and businesses usually have both immediate and longer term considerations when selecting vehicles. We work with clients to understand all the elements that impact car strategy and design a policy to fit. We take into account the full range of driving needs and contexts, expected mileage and budget, as well as additional factors such as environmental impact and driver status. We then offer a tailored selection of vehicles for each driver category to fit within the wider parameters of client’s vehicle policy.

 

interview with figyelo.hu - dr. Érsek M. Zoltán