Interview • Members
Five questions with Sophie Foucque, CEO Europe, Africa & Australia at MICHELIN Connected Fleet
We interviewed Sophie Foucque, CEO Europe, Africa & Australia at MICHELIN Connected Fleet, to learn more about her career path and the company’s vision for the future of connected mobility. Drawing on over two decades of global experience across the automotive, consulting, and digital sectors, Sophie shares her insights on leadership, innovation, and the role of technology in advancing safer, smarter, and more sustainable mobility.
From the evolution of MICHELIN Connected Fleet and its data-driven services to the company’s efforts in supporting fleet managers through digital transformation, AI, and the transition to electric vehicles, this conversation offers a deep dive into how MICHELIN Connected Fleet is helping shape the future of connected and sustainable transport.
1. Sophie, could you tell us more about your career journey? Looking back, was there a key turning point or lesson that shaped your transition between roles, and how has this influenced your leadership at Michelin Connected Fleet?
I have always navigated the intersection of business and technology, harnessing the power of data and ecosystems to achieve strategic differentiation at scale, balancing profit, people, and respect for the planet. I thrive on steering companies through transformations and driving sustainable growth by aligning innovation with business strategy.
Across 20 years of global experience across various industries—including automotive, e-commerce, consulting, and mobility—I have developed expertise in digital transformation, business model innovation, and strategic partnerships. This journey has led me to serve as CEO of MICHELIN Connected Fleet for Europe, Africa, and Australia, and to relocate to the UK a year ago.
Living and working with my family in several European countries, the US, Asia, and more recently the UK, has greatly enhanced my cultural awareness. I firmly believe that everything begins with people; a company is fundamentally a collective of individuals united by a shared vision. Achieving performance through diversity and authenticity has been a vital driver in my professional journey. At MICHELIN Connected Fleet, this focus on people encompasses employees, partners, and customers alike.
2. Could you introduce Michelin Connected Fleet? What are its core activities and what key challenges is the business currently facing?
Did you know that Michelin is a pioneer in mobility services? Indeed, its commitment began in 1901 with the edition of the Red Guide included addresses of electric vehicle charging stations, and by 1908, its Itineraries Office provided information on road conditions. This forward-looking service culture was quickly adopted by fleet managers, leading to Michelin's first "Tire Care and Services" contracts as early as 1922. With technological advancements, Michelin’s longstanding expertise has expanded into a new field: leveraging data from connected objects. This expansion is driven by a strong conviction that the future of mobility is sustainable, and sustainable mobility is impossible without connected mobility. In 2019, Michelin Group acquired Masternaut Limited, uniquely blending technology with mobility expertise and naming it MICHELIN Connected Fleet.
MICHELIN Connected Fleet provides data-driven services enabling fleet managers to improve driver safety, enhance fleet productivity, and lower environmental impact. Our SaaS platform offers vehicle geotracking, management of hours of service, driver behavior monitoring via Ai dashcam, tire pressure and temperature monitoring, proactive maintenance, EV transition support, route optimization, smart job management, temperature monitoring for cold chain..
Operating in the 3 continents , with more than 600K connected vehicles and 10K customers, we are leveraging billions of data to make mobility safer, smarter, and greener.
As mobility becomes increasingly connected, electrified, and regulated, our customers face unprecedented transformation needs. In this context, our primary focus remains to provide them unwavering support. We are working as a true partner to ease decisions from data. Beyond this unique human approach, we are innovating through advanced EV transition services, an AI assistant providing real-time insights, and new partnerships to enrich their journey.
3. What do you believe are the main factors behind the success of Michelin Connected Fleet in such a competitive market?
With over a century of expertise in vehicle dynamics and tire intelligence, combined with cutting-edge data science and a robust network of 1500 certified partners, MICHELIN Connected Fleet holds a unique position in the connected mobility ecosystem. We are committed to delivering life-changing experiences to our fleet customers, not only through the quality of our services but also through exceptional in-person support that directly contributes to improve their driver safety, enhance their fleet productivity and helps reduce their environmental impact.
On average, our customers have reduced the number of incidents in their fleets by 23% through a reduction in speeding, harsh acceleration, and harsh braking, reduced their downtime by 8%, and saved the equivalent of 3,822 Kg of CO2 per vehicle through lower idling and optimized tire performance, per year, which is comparable to the heating of one house.
4. What strategic priorities or initiatives are you focusing on to ensure continued growth and innovation in the coming years?
With highly connected vehicles , smart infrastructure and cross-border new regulations like the EU mobility pack on Tachograph or the Data Act coming to force this month the mobility is definitely ecosystemic.
Therefore we are acting on 3 dimensions :
· Connected Tire as a Service : Fleet managers can now benefit from our Optimized Tire Performance offer - a connected Tire as a Service solution fully integrated with our fleet management solution - contributing to avoid up to 80% of tire-related breakdowns, reducing fuel consumption, and unnecessary tire replacements.
· Providing a seamless access to our services through partnerships with OEMs . Our services support fleets using Stellantis, Renault, and Ford LCVs, and Schmitz Cargobull & Krone trailers eliminating the need for additional hardware installation in their vehicles.
· Advanced EV services with partners
On top of enriching our offer portfolio we keep expanding our geographical footprint with our services newly available in the Netherlands through our Euromaster partner.
5. As a leader in a tech-driven and rapidly evolving sector, how do you encourage innovation and adaptability within your teams?
I firmly believe that "the best way to predict the future is to create it."and that innovation comes from empowerment and collective intelligence, which is why I consistently encourage my teams to think big, connect with industry peers to enrich their knowledge, and commit to continuous learning. A few months ago, I launched a company-wide AI training program to upskill all employees and prepare them for the future. In London, we are fortunate to have a very inspiring local AI community, including the Alan Turing Institute, the AI Summit, and London Tech Week, with which our datascience team is actively involved.
While partnering with our Michelin AI center of expertise in India to reinforce its expertise, the MICHELIN Connected Fleet data science team is an integral part of our business, working in close collaboration with customers to co-innovate and deliver optimal value. For example the team is currently actively finetuning an AI Assistant with several UK & French fleet customers. This month marks our Michelin group AI hackathon, where internal teams are competing to develop the most innovative Group AI solutions.
Beyond technology innovation, we are committed to social innovation. This year, the MICHELIN Connected Fleet data science team is volunteering to support the Women Coding Community.
MICHELIN Connected Fleet offers a comprehensive suite of digital services aimed at optimizing fleet management through real-time data analytics. Leveraging over 130 years of Michelin's expertise in vehicle dynamics and unique mobility data science, MICHELIN Connected Fleet empowers fleet managers to enhance vehicle performance, reduce operational costs, and improve safety by monitoring driver behavior, tire conditions, and vehicle health. Our innovative platform allows fleet operators to make informed decisions, ensuring efficient logistics and sustainability while maximizing uptime and minimizing maintenance efforts.