Julia Simpson has enjoyed a brilliant and high profile career from being one of the senior advisers to former Prime Minister Tony Blair to being the Chief of Staff at the International Airlines Group, owners of British Airways and Iberia. At the moment she is President and CEO at the World Travel & Tourism Council. This morning in Palma she was addressing a conference of tourism bosses and a fascinating fact came to light.
Her first job was working at the Majorca Daily Bulletin in the 1980s, shortly after leaving university. She has fond memories of her time at the Bulletin which in those days was located in the Calle San Felio in the old part of Palma. "I used to start my working day with a coffee and ensaimada at the Bar Martin," (this bar which is still open today was a second home to staff of the Bulletin!).
But not only did she work for the Bulletin, in the afternoon she would take the bus to Port Andratx and work for a major yacht company.
Prior to joining the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) in Aug 2021, Julia spent 14 years in the aviation sector on the Board of British Airways and Iberia and as Chief of Staff at International Airlines Group.
Before joining British Airways, Julia was senior adviser to Prime Minister Tony Blair. She held a number of key positions in the UK government and public sector, including Director at the Home Office and Department for Education and Employment; Assistant Chief Executive at the London Borough of Camden; and head of communications at the Communication Workers Union.
She is a great fan of Mallorca.