Julie Lithgow was the Director of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers from 2011 to 2020. She sat on the Council of Maritime UK, leading their governance review in 2017 and again in 2020, and continues to lead Maritime UK subcommittees that promote diversity.

Previously she was Head of Business Intelligence at Pole Star Space Applications, working on government liaison for IMO regulation and latterly working with the European Naval Force in the Gulf of Aden as part of the naval response to pirate attacks on commercial shipping.

She is a Council member of the Baltic Exchange. She was awarded an OBE in 2019 for her work in promoting diversity in the maritime sector.