Julia Sutcliffe

Julia Sutcliffe is a British engineer who is an Honorary Professor and the Chief Scientific Advisor for the Department for Business and Trade. She previously served as a Chief Technology Officer at BAE Systems, where she was responsible for artificial intelligence, augmented reality and quantum technologies. She is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Early life and education Sutcliffe was born in Manchester in the 1960s. She grew up watching Tomorrow's World and reading educational books on animals. Her parents and grandparents took her to various engineering sites as a child, including the Humber Bridge, Harrier jump jet and Jodrell Bank Observatory. After her doctorate, Sutcliffe travelled around Asia, visiting Nepal, Pakistan and Thailand.

In 2021, Sutcliffe was made an Honorary Professor at the University of Manchester. and the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Sutcliffe was appointed Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department for Business and Trade in 2023. She works across various government departments to resolve cross-cutting challenges and accelerate impact.