Emma Bridgewater, former CEO
Julia is the former CEO of Emma Bridgewater Ltd, having finished working there in February 2024 after nearly 14 years, first in Senior Marketing and Commercial roles, and most recently 8 years as CEO.
She is a seasoned leader of Senior Leadership and Executive Teams, having led the Emma Bridgewater business which employs around 400 people across manufacturing, distribution, shops and commercial roles. She has extensive retail and e-commerce experience having held senior positions in Marketing and Business Development at Waterstones and WHSmith prior to joining Emma Bridgewater.
With a focus on employee and customer engagement, alongside her Marketing skills, Julia has implemented systems to support feedback from cross-functional teams at all levels aiming to give everyone in the business a voice. Her recent experience at Emma Bridgewater Ltd includes securing an £8m investment from BGF to support further UK growth and international expansion, and leading the Emma Bridgewater business to achieve B Corp status in January 2022. She is also a member of the Keele Business School Advisory Board.
Outside work, Julia is a qualified netball coach and has been volunteering regularly for the past 8 years at a local state primary school running inclusive after school netball clubs encouraging year 3-6 children to participate in team sports. She also runs a grass roots U15 Girls football team in the Surrey Sunday League and recently completed her FA introduction to football coaching.
With an interest in the benefit of keeping young people (particularly girls) actively engaged in sport as they go through their early teens, Julia will be starting in April 2024 as a volunteer sports coach at the newly opened WEST Youth Zone in White City.
Julia is married with 3 children aged 15, 17 and 20. When she’s not coaching or organising others in sport, she loves to run with a group of local girlfriends and plays social netball.