Kym Mellow

With over 25 years of experience working alongside some of the world's most recognisable automotive brands across Australaisa, Kym has led teams, grown businesses, and carved out a career defined by a simple but powerful philosophy: people come first. Whether it's championing women in the automotive industry, mentoring emerging talent, or dismantling the barriers that hold people back, Kym is committed to creating genuine pathways for growth.

For Kym , success isn't just about hitting targets—it's about challenging conventions, fostering continuous learning, and bringing teams together to achieve what they never thought possible. What fuels Kym most is watching individuals and teams flourish, knowing that their growth doesn't just shape their own futures, but strengthens the culture and long-term success of the entire industry.

Please explain your job to us? 

I am General Manager for Inchcape New Zealand and part of the Inchcape Australasian Executive team. As GM I help lead and support my teams to deliver value for our OEM and Dealer partners, and great experiences for our customers. In NZ we are the custodians of three Auto brands (LDV, KGM and Subaru), which provides us the opportunity to compete with a wonderful range of vehicles in diverse segments in what is an incredibly competitive and complex market. 

What was your first job and general path to where you are now?

I entered the industry straight out of university starting as a Graduate Trainee at BS Stillwell Ford in Adelaide (which was part of the Adtrans Group). In retrospect I was incredibly fortunate as it provided me the opportunity to learn and spend time across all departments and business functions that operate at Retail Dealerships. 

I spent time as a Parts Interpreter, Service Advisor, Vehicle Valuer and sold new cars on a Saturday. Post the traineeship, I spent the next few years selling AU and BA Falcons and then leading Sales teams at Jarvis Ford before shifting to Distribution roles at Mazda Australia. At Mazda I started in the South Australian & Tasmanian office as a Dealer Business Manager (DBM). The fact that I had Retail experience helped me enormously in those early days to build empathy and connection within the Dealer network. The DBM role acts as the conduit between the National Sales Company (NSC) and the Dealer, a holistic and diverse role covering Sales, Service, Parts, Network Development and CX which again provided a wonderful career platform to then move into leadership roles. At just 29 years old, I was fortunate to be provided an opportunity to move my young family to Melbourne and into the Mazda Executive team. I spent 17.5 years at Mazda in various roles covering Sales, S&OP, Logistics and Customer Support. 

What do you love about your job?

At Inchcape I get to work with some super talented people (and teams), from all across the world. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing people grow, step out of their comfort zone into new opportunities, and succeed. I enjoy the challenge of shaping businesses for the future whether that’s through building new brands, better customer experiences, or smarter ways of working. I also love that my role gives me the chance to make a difference beyond the numbers. Supporting women in automotive is a passion and commitment of mine, encouraging continuous learning, and helping to create a more inclusive industry. For me, the biggest satisfaction comes from knowing that the work we do together today sets up stronger businesses and better opportunities for everyone. 

What does allyship in our industry mean to you?

For me, championing women isn’t just a commitment, I see it as a real business advantage. I recognise that diversity of thought drives innovation, better decision making, and much stronger teams. By creating real opportunities for women to lead and grow, I believe I am helping to shape a more inclusive and successful future for everyone. It’s not just about standing beside women colleagues, but actively challenging biases, calling out inequities, and creating opportunities for development and career progression. True allyship is about listening, learning, and being willing to change the way we work so everyone feels included, valued, and supported. It’s making sure voices are heard at the table, even when they’re not the loudest (and especially when there not in the room). At its heart, allyship is about creating an industry that’s stronger, and fairer.

What are some of the things you have done/worked on in your work places to be a male ally?

I’ve made a conscious effort throughout my career to use my role to create opportunities and pathways for women in automotive. That’s included mentoring and sponsoring female talent, supporting career development programs, and encouraging women to take on new opportunities especially leadership roles within my teams. I’ve also worked to build inclusive environments where flexible working, continuous learning, and different perspectives are genuinely valued.

At Inchcape, I’ve been proud to champion several women focused initiatives. Across our business, we support development programs such as Aspire and Women into Leadership, which have helped prepare the next generation of female leaders including several outstanding participants from New Zealand. During my time leading Inchcape NZ, 40 percent of our Senior Leadership Team were women, each playing key roles across sales, marketing, people and culture, and operations. These leaders were supported through formal mentoring, stretch opportunities, and visibility at key industry events, all part of our deliberate effort to build a balanced leadership pipeline.

I also completed the Women Rising Male Allies program, which deepened my understanding of what practical allyship looks like. Beyond formal programs, I regularly sponsor female leaders for recognition opportunities such as the Barbara Cox Award (with my nomination Samantha Reid-Zanotto being a finalist this year), and ensure our internal and external events highlight women’s voices and achievements.

More broadly, we are very proud that Inchcape was one of the first organisations in New Zealand to sign the Women in Automotive NZ Accord, helping to normalise conversations around equity and allyship. For me, it’s about using my influence to challenge the status quo, celebrate female achievement, and ensure that talented women have the same opportunities to grow and succeed as anyone else.

What personal experiences or motivations do you have to actively work on the gender gap in our industry?

My motivation comes from seeing both sides of the industry, the impact of biases and imbalance firsthand, and the incredible success of talented women I’ve worked with who have been promoted and recognised that are now thriving in senior roles and adding incredible value to their organisations. Their journeys prove how much stronger our industry becomes when diverse talent is supported, recognised, and given the chance to lead. That’s what drives me to keep challenging the gap because a more inclusive industry isn’t just fairer, it’s also more successful.

What challenges do you face as a male ally?

One of the biggest challenges as a male ally is confronting the ingrained norms that are deeply engraved in what has been a traditionally male dominated industry. Sometimes it means having uncomfortable conversations, challenging bias when it’s not popular, or pushing back against the idea that equity is about lowering standards (when in fact it’s about raising the bar for everyone equally). 

Another challenge is making sure allyship isn’t just words but real actions. It requires consistency, showing up, listening, and advocating even when it might be unpopular to raise your hand. For me, the ongoing challenge is balancing the need to influence cultural change while also ensuring that talented women see real opportunities and outcomes, not just good intentions.

What are some ways that men can be good allies in the workplace?

I am a strong believer that men must play an active role as allies by building their own awareness and understanding of the realities women face in the workplace. Taking part in initiatives like the Women Rising Male Allies program gave me valuable insights into how everyday behaviours, structures, and assumptions can either enable or limit progress. Some of the most powerful lessons I carry forward include the importance of creating visibility for women colleagues, backing their contributions in the room, and being intentional about opening doors to new opportunities.

At Inchcape we are launching quarterly sessions with our graduates of women in leadership across Australasia in addition to broader wide “coffee chats” where we will have our male leaders speak on the panel and discuss the role of male allyship.

Allyship (and sponsorship) is most effective when it’s practical, so checking in, listening deeply, and using your position to help level the playing field. It’s about turning awareness into action that supports lasting change.

What do we need to do to inspire more male advocates?

To inspire more male advocates, we need to shift the mindset from allyship being a “nice to have” to being a core responsibility of leadership. Women are not asking permission any longer they are rightly demanding change. Men need to see that creating equity and inclusion isn’t about giving something up, it’s about building stronger teams and better businesses for everyone. 

We also need to make allyship more visible and accessible. Sharing stories, providing education programs (like Women Rising), and showing practical examples of what allyship looks like day-to-day will help remove the fear of “getting it wrong” Or not knowing how to start. I am a firm believer that when men see the positive impact that advocacy has on culture and performance, and when they hear it directly from women themselves, it becomes clear that allyship is not optional, it’s essential.

How do you go about attracting and retaining female talent in your workplace?

Attracting and retaining women talent starts with creating an environment where they can see a clear pathway for growth and know their contributions will be valued. 

I am fortunate that I work for an organisation that is deeply committed to building an inclusive, family-friendly workplace. At Inchcape some of the key initiatives to attracting and retaining top female talent include:

• Achieving Family Friendly Workplace certification, recognising our focus on flexibility, wellbeing, and care.

• Reviewing and improving our parental leave policy in partnership with Family Friendly Workplaces.

• Offering flexible working arrangements wherever possible.

• Conducting ongoing I&D reviews of our compensation ratios to ensure equity and fairness.

• Running leadership pathways such as Women in Leadership and Aspire, which have supported retention and progression.

• Embedding inclusive language and values in our new Employee Value Proposition (EVP).

• Leveraging WGEA reporting to measure progress and compare industry benchmarks, helping shape our future action plans.

These initiatives, combined with visible female leadership and active sponsorship, make Inchcape a more attractive and supportive place for women to build long-term careers.

I’ve found it’s also important to recognise and celebrate the transferable skills women bring to the table, whether that’s leadership, problem solving, communication, or customer focus developed in other industries or roles. When you show that these skills are not only welcome but essential, you widen the pipeline of talent and give women the confidence to succeed. Retention then comes from delivering on the promise, ensuring women feel supported, challenged, and able to shape the future of the organisation.

What is the best piece of advice you were ever given?

The best advice I was ever given came from Ric Collins (Jarvis Group), a mentor early in my career, who sadly recently passed away. He once told me: “Kym, remember it really doesn’t matter what you say as the leader… because the team are not watching your lips, they are watching your feet.” That message has stayed with me ever since. It taught me that leadership is not about words or titles, it’s about actions. People notice whether you “walk the walk,” whether you keep your promises, and whether your behaviour matches your values. Ric’s advice continues to guide me today, to lead with compassion and integrity, to follow through on commitments, and to set the tone by how I show up, not just by what I say.

What can the industry do to make itself more appealing to women?

To make the industry more appealing to women, we need to reframe how people see automotive, not just as cars and dealerships, but as a sector full of diverse career pathways in leadership, technology, customer experience, mobility, and sustainability. Showcasing role models who are thriving helps break down the perception that it’s a “men’s world,” and makes it easier for women to picture themselves here. Practical changes also matter, ensuring workplaces feel safe, inclusive, and supportive, with opportunities for growth at every level. When the industry demonstrates that it values different perspectives and welcomes transferable skills, it not only attracts more women but also becomes far more innovative and resilient.