Catherine Tillman
The Girls in Fleet profile sequence introduces fleet managers to a number of the most influential girls in fleet. Each month, we get to know one other constructive drive within the fleet business.
This month, we spoke with Catherine Tillman, director of fleet, information administration & journey for AbbVie.
Entering into Fleet
Tillman’s introduction to fleet started when she was promoted to the position of director of world journey and fleet at Abbott in 2007. She first joined Abbott as a secretary in 1989 and moved by numerous roles on the firm till discovering her place in fleet.
Between 2007 and 2012, as director, international journey and fleet, she helped implement a sequence of modifications to coverage and car choice to enhance the fleet’s gas economic system and sustainability efforts within the U.S., the latter of which had been in its formative phases, Tillman stated. She in the end helped enhance the fleet’s common miles per gallon 18% in comparison with the earlier 12 months’s baseline and saved the equal of over 2 million gallons of gas.
One other main part to her position with Abbott on the time was the administration of the corporate’s international fleet, which was initially a difficult expertise, she stated.
“Within the early years of my fleet tenure, one of many greatest challenges in managing fleet on a worldwide foundation was the business itself. By that, I imply that producers and fleet administration firms weren’t nicely positioned to assist giant, international firms,” she stated. She famous, nevertheless, that the business has since then seen rising assist for international fleet administration.
AbbVie’s New Enterprise
The pharmaceutical division of Abbott separated to change into AbbVie in 2013. She joined AbbVie as the corporate’s director of fleet, journey, company card and information administration.
Following this, AbbVie centralized its shared enterprise capabilities to facilitate efficiencies and guarantee consistency in governance and observe.
Keys to Success
“With different capabilities resembling setting, well being & security (EHS), finance, HR, buying and tax additionally being centralized and international in scope, the mannequin makes it simpler to facilitate the required inner partnerships wanted to implement international fleet insurance policies and packages,” she stated.
Early fleet successes embrace growing the group’s Driving Selection program, which provides AbbVie drivers an choice to order a car that could be higher suited to the motive force’s work/life stability wants than the usual providing and the motive force pays month-to-month charges to offset larger bills. She additionally accepted the introduction of newer car security and expertise necessities, in partnership with EHS, which has resulted in a constructive affect on accidents per million miles and preventable accidents per million miles metrics.
As well as, she stated AbbVie has lately made a lot progress towards standardization and compliance, eradicating inconsistencies and guaranteeing equitable fleet packages throughout areas.
“I’ve a stellar fleet group and after we do our jobs nicely, we’re enabling our inner prospects to give attention to their main duties, which oftentimes is specializing in exterior prospects,” Tillman stated. “That’s how we assist AbbVie’s mission to have a outstanding affect on sufferers’ lives and that’s what retains me coming to work.”
Endeavors in World Fleet
“One present fleet initiative for AbbVie is the event of a worldwide knowledge repository with which to consolidate international fleet knowledge and generate significant fleet stories,” Tillman stated.
“Now we have finished plenty of work within the final three years to consolidate fleet administration firms and producers and can proceed that pursuit,” she stated. “We’re additionally growing our mobility technique and brainstorming methods to additional assist our firm’s enterprise emissions discount objectives.”
