Born in County Down, Julie's career in business started early in life. Her father was a poultry farmer and retailer and, in many ways, that started to shape her views of business from an early age. She studied business in Ulster University before moving to Dublin in the late seventies, a time when things in Northern Ireland were pretty lean but foreign direct investment in the Republic was beginning to build. ​

Since then, she has spent 30 years in the Irish Development Authority and Enterprise Ireland, both semi-state government agencies. She has been CEO at the latter since 2013 during which time the agency has supported hundreds of indigenous Irish companies, creating tens of thousands of jobs. Julie is a strong supporter of initiatives that drive diversity and is a champion for women engaging at all levels in the public and private sectors.

Show Notes:

1.50 – Julie's start in life, the family business and supporting Irish business – 4.40 – What does Enterprise Ireland's support look like? – 5.13 – Supporting clients through leadership development – 6.30 – The challenges of Brexit for business – 8.30 – What makes a great leader - vision, ambition, energy, passion and purpose– 11.35 – Irish companies are coming out of the shadow of multinationals – 15.30 – A leader's role during change – 17.55 – Milestones during change are key - We need to rethink the purpose and HOW of virtual meetings