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Securing a fleet transition in the midst of summer downtime

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Background

 

In the summer of 2025, a company in the construction and rail track construction sector was in the final stages of outsourcing its fleet management operations. With 85% of the project already completed and a go-live date scheduled for August 1st, the abrupt departure of the internal project lead for personal reasons created a critical leadership gap.

To complicate matters, the entire internal team was due to go on holiday starting July 22nd, making July 19th the hard deadline for operational readiness. The company urgently needed someone to step in (working 2 to 3 days per week) to lead the final phase of the project and ensure a smooth transition.

 

To support the client, Altesia brough in Aurélien Huyghens, a procurement consultant with strong experience in project management and supplier strategy, to take over the project and secure its delivery under constrained conditions.

 

Key challenges included:

  • Limited stakeholder availability due to the holiday period.
  • Short ramp-up time, with only 10 days before team leave.
  • Sensitivity around company car benefits, leading to emotionally charged discussions.
  • Complex governance, with multiple stakeholders holding decision-making power.

 

Approach

Given the tight timeline and emotionally charged environment, Aurélien Huyghens adopted an approach that combined structured project execution with high emotional intelligence, aiming to restore alignment and drive the project forward under pressure.

Stakeholder engagement and issue mapping

From day one, Aurélien set up meetings with key stakeholders across multiple reporting levels (from N-1 to N+1) to understand concerns, expectations, and internal friction points—especially around car policies, which were perceived as entitlements.

 

Listening sessions were conducted to identify what was working, what wasn’t, and how to best tailor the go-live strategy to internal dynamics.

Financial and contractual analysis

Aurélien conducted a rapid yet thorough review of fleet-related spend and contractual commitments, covering 300 benefit cars and 300 commercial vehicles. This work laid the foundation for supplier recommendations, focusing on both cost efficiency and service quality.

 

He worked closely with Legal and IT teams to align implementation efforts and ensure the transition remained compliant and technically sound.

Tools and solutions deployed
  • Stakeholder mapping to clarify governance and streamline communication.
  • Spend analysis to quantify financial exposure and identify savings opportunities.
  • Contract review and supplier recommendations, including leasing partners and EV charging infrastructure.
  • Scenario planning to anticipate and mitigate operational bottlenecks during the transition.

Results

A smooth go-live, delivered on time

Despite the time pressure and a complex governance setup, the fleet management transition went live on August 1st without disruption, achieving full operational readiness before the internal team began their holiday break.

 

Strategic and operational impact

  • Optimised supplier selection, grounded in contract and spend analysis.
  • Improved stakeholder alignment, thanks to targeted engagement and clear governance.
  • Future-proofed governance, establishing a framework for upcoming transitions in fleet management.

 

Client recognition

The client praised Aurélien Huyghens for his ability to step in quickly and take full ownership of the project. His structured, empathetic, and hands-on approach helped restore momentum and secure a successful outcome under significant constraints.

 

Through this project, Aurélien was able to illustrate the value of Altesia’s flexible staffing model, providing experienced consultants who can step in quickly, adapt to high-pressure situations, and drive impact.

 

In this case, Aurélien’s involvement not only secured a critical go-live but also strengthened the organisation’s approach to supplier governance and operational continuity.