Julia Westland co-leads Spencer Stuart’s Data & Analytics Practice and is a member of the firm’s Technology & Digital Officer Practice. A trusted adviser to publicly listed, private equity and venture capital backed businesses across industries, she has worked with more than 60 companies shaping leadership teams. Julia works with companies to identify and position exceptional talent to create value from digital, data & analytics and technology wherever they are in their journey. Julia understands the leadership opportunities and talent landscape that arise from even the most the emerging business landscape including artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud, the metaverse, blockchain and more.
Julia has more than a decade of experience in the design and delivery of technology transformations, and is the founder of UK-based tech startup HotPostcode.
Hands-on experience
- Julia’s client work at Spencer Stuart focuses on two domains. She works with growth-stage businesses through founder-to-CEO transition, on commercial and technology roles, non-executive appointments and building advisory boards at key inflection points, such as preparing for an IPO. Julia also works with established businesses on technology and data leadership roles, including commercial roles in data businesses across the globe.
- Prior to joining Spencer Stuart, Julia was at The Boston Consulting Group where she set up the data and analytics business (now BCG X). During her tenure, she helped more than 200 clients across industries and around the world establish and refine their data agenda.
- Julia is part of the Return on AI Institute, aimed at furthering both fiscal and social returns on AI investments. In partnership with the institute, she has conducted multiple years of research and delivers executive education to global leadership teams.
- Previously, Julia spent six years in Accenture’s IT strategy practice, where she created operating models, mobilized change programs and streamlined technology in order to connect IT and business strategy for retail, telecommunications, banking and government organizations.
- Julia began her career in the quantitative strategies, risk and analytics department of The World Bank, where she worked with a range of international organizations and countries.
Julia holds an M.S. in information systems technology and a B.B.A. in international business and information systems from The George Washington University. Julia was a Fulbright scholar to Morocco in 2004. Julia has been an advisory board member of the business analytics master’s degree program at Imperial College Business School since 2014. She is also a sought-after thought leader on technology and data, including published articles and studies and presenting at leading tech events such as London FinTech Week.