A soil scientist and chartered horticulturist, Julia has been appointed the 17th Regius Keeper (CEO) of the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, starting at the end of January 2026.
Passionate about plants and fungi, Julia’s career spans over 20 years in biodiversity, conservation and climate change – including 12 years as a diplomat in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office leading science teams in East China, Russia and South America. In Brazil, Julia led a multi-million pound UK-Brazil fund for research which included identifying new plant species in the Amazon rainforest.
Julia also worked in the Senior Civil Service in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, where she led a team of climate scientists and statisticians to provide the science underpinning the UK's Net Zero by 2050 legislation.
Julia was Deputy Director of London's Science Museum for nearly six years (2019-2025), leading the Curatorial, Public Engagement, Operations and Visitor Experience teams delivering a raft of major exhibitions on the environment, such as Amazônia and Future of Food. Julia is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and a Trustee for two environmental charities: Plantlife International and The Woodland Trust. Julia joined the Royal Society's Public Engagement Committee in 2022.
Professional position
- Regius Keeper (CEO), Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh
