Meet CEO of one of world's biggest IT firms, who will undergo treatment for breast cancer

Julie Sweet, Chief Executive Officer of Accenture has recently been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer and will undergo the treatment for about 12-16 weeks, according to Moneycontrol. 

“I was very recently diagnosed with breast cancer. The good news is that the prognosis from my doctor is excellent; the cancer was caught early, and my condition is curable,” read an internal email by Sweet to her employees.  

Her surgery will take place next week and is expected to be given radiation as part of her treatment,  

Being the CEO of the company, she will continue to work on her daily tasks. However, she will avoid travelling during this period.  

Who is Julie Sweet? 

Julie Sweet is the Chief Executive Officer and chair of Accenture. She has been holding the position of CEO since September 2019 and that of the chair since September 2021. She has a long history of working with the world’s biggest IT company holding multiple key positions since 2010. She had been given the responsibilities as CEO of Accenture’s business in North America, which is the company’s biggest market in terms of geography.  

She has also been Accenture’s general counsel, secretary, and chief compliance officer for five years. Before Accenture, Sweet was associated with Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, an American law firm, for 10 years. Another significant position that she holds is of board of trustees in three organisations- World Economic Forum and Center for Strategic & International Studies, and Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities. She is also board chair of Catalyst, a global nonprofit.  

Her education includes a BA degree from Claremont McKenna College and a JD from Columbia Law School. She is one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Business and Forbes’ World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.