Julie Brill is a globally recognized authority in the fields of technology, regulation, and governance, with more than three decades of leadership shaping how businesses and governments navigate complex digital and AI challenges. Her career spans senior executive roles in multinational corporations, top government regulatory agencies, and leading global law firms. Julie has been consistently recognized as one of the foremost voices in privacy, data protection, cybersecurity, AI governance, antitrust, and consumer protection. As Corporate Vice President and Chief Privacy Officer at Microsoft, Julie directed the company’s global privacy, safety, and regulatory affairs strategy during a period of unprecedented technological and regulatory change.
She led worldwide adoption of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), championed responsible and efficient approaches to AI, and advanced global governance and policy frameworks. With a span of control of 250—and a span of influence across the entire company—Julie drove large-scale organizational alignment, built inclusive technology initiatives, and influenced policy worldwide. Prior to Microsoft, Julie served as Commissioner of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, a role to which she was unanimously confirmed by the Senate.
At the FTC, she set agency-wide priorities across policy and enforcement, authored landmark decisions shaping digital competition and consumer protection, and helped negotiate transatlantic data transfer mechanisms with the European Union. Widely recognized as “the Commission’s most important voice on internet privacy and data security issues,” Julie played a defining role in establishing global regulatory norms for the digital economy.
Julie also served as a Partner at Hogan Lovells, where she guided multinational corporations through complex regulatory landscapes in cybersecurity, advertising, and data protection. Earlier in her career, she held senior leadership positions at the North Carolina Department of Justice and the Vermont Attorney General’s Office, where she led regulatory, litigation, and policy strategies spanning consumer protection, antitrust, utilities, and privacy. In 2025, Julie launched Brill Strategies, a consultancy advising global enterprises on regulatory change, governance, and responsible innovation.
She also serves as Expert-in-Residence at Harvard’s Innovation Lab and Harvard Law School, mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs and policymakers. Julie’s governance impact extends to multiple boards, including the Ethyca Fiduciary Board, the Center for Democracy and Technology, the International Association of Privacy Professionals, and the Ditchley Foundation. She has overseen financial turnarounds, led CEO search processes, and guided organizational evolution around AI and digital regulation.
Julie has been honored with global leadership and lifetime achievement awards, and she has been named among the “most powerful people in health care,” “top minds in online privacy,” and a “Cybersecurity Trailblazer.” She was admitted to Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women” organization in 2025. Julie holds a BA in Economics from Princeton University and a JD from New York University School of Law, where she was a Root-Tilden Scholar.