Julie White

Julie White (born 1967) is a British businesswoman and entrepreneur, who has risen to prominence after becoming the managing director of a multimillion-pound diamond drilling company. At the time she took control of Coventry-based D-Drill in 2008, she was the only woman to run a business of its type. White and her company have won several awards, both from her industry and the wider business community.

Life and career

Born in Coventry, Warwickshire, she was raised in the city, and attended Warwickshire College where she studied business management. After graduating with moderate grades she went travelling around the world, On returning to the UK she studied NVQ qualifications in business, and started her first business in 2001. The company, Superfloor UK Ltd, introduced a new techniques for specialist floor preparation to the UK, and helped to establish her as a businesswoman in the Midlands. at the time becoming the only woman to run a company of its type. D-Drill's turnover fell by 40% during the first six months of her tenure, and she undertook a programme of restructuring and modernisation. According to a 2012 article by the BBC, D-Drill's spending on training was five times the industry average, while some 45 percent of the company's workforce was in the process of training, or had completed their apprenticeships with D-Drill.

As of 2012 the firm was the UK's largest branch network in its industry, Their work involved boring into the earth as part of preparations for the deep-rooted foundations required for the skyscrapers. D-Drill has sponsored the manager of Coventry City Football Club since 1983. White is a board member of the Drilling and Sawing Association, and is the first woman to be appointed to a professional body for the industry. She appeared as a guest on the edition of 5 February 2012 of BBC Radio 5 Live's On the Money with Declan Curry, The programme was recorded in West Bromwich. She appeared on BBC Breakfast earlier the same day talking about ways the government could help boost businesses. In October 2011 she was also chosen as the Vitalise Businesswoman of the Year,

D-Drill was also the recipient of a Coventry Telegraph Business Award for its commitment to training and development. while in April 2012 D-Drill became the first in its field to receive a platinum award in the Construction Standards Certification Scheme.