Melanie Vladimirschi
Trusted to grow: Melanie’s 10-year rise at Third Bridge
From New York beginnings
Mel joined Third Bridge in July 2015 as a Research Analyst in the New York Consulting team. At the time, she had already accepted a media role after graduating with a degree in Health Communications and English, and completing internships in Public Relations. But when a recruiter came across her resume, it set a new path in motion.
“I can't say that I understood exactly what expert networks were, but I was curious enough that I came in for what was called a ‘Super Day’, which was a day of interviewing at the office,” Mel recalls. “I met four incredible managers that day, two of whom went on to become my mentors. That was the reason I said yes.”
Learning the ropes together
Mel joined as part of a cohort of 16 graduates, an experience that set the tone for her early development. “We had about two weeks of classroom and experiential training,” she explains. “We learned the theory behind how to break down a value chain, how to understand different industries, and then we did shadowing and hands-on tasks to apply what we learned.”
This structured onboarding helped Mel build technical knowledge and settle in quickly. “It felt like a group experience where we learned how to do the job together,” she says. That early camaraderie also helped her build lasting relationships. In fact, Mel found her best friend in that cohort, someone who would later step into the role of bridesmaid at her wedding.
Starting strong in a brand-new industry
Mel remembers her early days as a Research Analyst fondly, supporting Project Managers by sourcing top industry experts for consulting clients. That meant identifying and connecting with experts who could offer the specific insights clients needed – sometimes from unexpected corners of the market. “I liked finding the needle-in-a-haystack expert who would actually make a difference to our client,” she says.
She also found the team dynamic energizing. “The relationship with my Project Managers, with other Analysts, and my manager at the time were always very positive,” she recalls. “That collaborative environment was exactly what I needed to succeed.”
Don’t be afraid to work really hard and do really well. Doors open for people who perform.
A career shaped by growth
Within a year, Mel was promoted from Analyst to Manager, eventually overseeing multiple teams in New York. In 2020, she transferred to the London office to support a high-priority initiative for a key client. Originally a six-month assignment, her impact led to a permanent offer to lead the European Consulting team.
“I loved London from my first visit. I remember coming back and telling my manager, ‘If there's ever an opportunity to move to the London office, I would happily take it,’” she says. “That opportunity came four years later.”
However, leading a new team in a new city just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic added complexity. “Two months after I arrived, I had to do everything remotely. My strength has always been showing people that I care. Doing that through daily Zoom calls instead of in person was a real challenge, but it worked. Eventually, I was offered the full-time role to lead all the Consulting teams in London.”
Taking the initiative
After nearly four years leading the European Consulting team as a Vice President, Mel found herself looking for her next challenge. “I started having conversations with leaders in the business about other opportunities where I could have an impact and learn something new,” she says. Those discussions led her to Rodolphe de Hemptinne, one of Third Bridge’s co-founders, who was in the early stages of developing a new service: Surveys.
The move wasn’t just a shift in role – it was a leap into uncharted territory. “Rudy was very clear with me. He said, ‘I’m looking for someone who will do 99% of the job. I’ll be there to sponsor and support, but this is yours to figure out.’” That level of ownership was exactly what Mel was looking for.
She took the initiative to research the competitive landscape, speak with clients to understand what they needed in a survey offering, and gather expert insights. “I did a lot of research in the early days – what are surveys, how do clients use them, how do experts engage with them?” Drawing on her years of experience in Consulting, she built a business plan from the ground up and presented it to the board in January 2024.
Since then, Surveys has gone from an idea on paper to a fast-growing line of business generating millions in revenue. For Mel, the success of the new service is as much about collaboration as it is about autonomy. “Even though Rudy gave me a huge amount of responsibility, he was always accessible. He’s one of the best managers I’ve ever had: always supportive, always there when I needed to bounce ideas around.”
Now a Senior Vice President, Mel leads the growing Surveys teams across London, New York, and Asia, continuing to shape both the strategy and the people behind it.
Growing people and products
What drives Mel most is developing talent and building something meaningful. “My favorite part of Third Bridge has always been growing and developing people,” she explains. “Making sure that the people I manage and mentor are going on to do amazing things, whether that's at the company or beyond. In my role now, I love that I get to do that while still discovering how to build a differentiated service and go-to-market strategy.”
She’s also invested meaningfully in her own growth, using Third Bridge’s professional development allowance to become a certified career coach through the British School of Coaching. “There’s a lot you can learn by doing, but I wanted to feel qualified enough to support others,” she says. She’s also participated in structured leadership training through programs like Mind Gym, manager offsites, and a range of internal and external workshops – all designed to strengthen leadership capability and unlock career progression.
Winning together
Mel credits Third Bridge’s collaborative, supportive, and people-focused culture as a key factor in her career success. She particularly values the way in which collaboration supersedes hierarchy, with everyone rolling up their sleeves to get the work done, regardless of job title.
“In the early stages of my career, having accessible, collaborative, and supportive managers made a huge difference,” she explains. “I’ve always looked up to leaders who lead by example and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty and do the job themselves. People who care about development, who work alongside you, and don’t just leave you to figure it out alone. Even our office setup reflects that with our Senior Leadership team sitting on the floor with the Analysts.”
Life outside the office
While her career has shaped much of the last decade, Mel also makes time for life beyond work. “I get energy from spending meaningful time with friends and family,” she says. “I love being outdoors, running, reading, trying new foods, and travelling.”
Mel often visits family in Brazil and Panama but her most memorable trip so far was a 10-day safari in Tanzania. “It was the most incredible experience of nature in its rawest form,” she says. “I’ve spent my life in big cities like São Paulo, New York, and London, so being somewhere that remote and untouched was a total reset.”
Advice for graduates
Mel’s advice to anyone starting out at Third Bridge is simple: show up, work hard, and aim high. “Don’t be afraid to bring your whole self to work,” she explains. “Do the hard work, talk to people you've never met, and get outside your comfort zone.
She remembers receiving similar advice that went on to shape her approach. “I was told early on that Third Bridge is a meritocracy and I’ve always appreciated that,” she explains. “Regardless of how long you've been at the company or where you come from, the people who perform are the ones who have the right doors opened for them and who get the opportunities to go far.”
That mindset has powered her path across roles, divisions, and continents from graduate Research Analyst to Senior Vice President of a brand new service. And she’s just getting started.
