A Solihull businesswoman who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in a 40ft yacht is steering a new course to serve current and former pupils from her old school.
Julia Skan is to become the first female President of the Old Silhillians’ Association (OSA) – for former pupils of Solihull School – having also been appointed Careers Advisor to the School.
A sixth former at the independent school for boys and girls in Warwick Road from 1984 to 1986, she is helping to guide pupils towards fulfilling careers following the retirement of Dr Niall Cluley. Julia has more than 20 years’ experience of working worldwide in industries ranging from publishing and healthcare to banking and recruitment.
A graduate in French and Italian, Julia worked as European Sales Manager at Reed Business Information, providing business information services for multinational chemical companies. Following a career break spent coaching fitness training and sailing across the Atlantic, she returned to the corporate world as PA to the Chief Executive of a Hedge Fund.
After moving back from London to Solihull three years ago, Julia worked for an executive search firm before establishing her own successful health and wellbeing business. She said: “I am looking forward to making use of my business background and extensive local, national and international contacts to give pupils, former pupils and parents the best possible careers-related help and advice.”
She added: “I also want to encourage many more Old Girls to join the Old Silhillians’ Association and to strengthen the OSA’s links with the School as it embarks on an exciting modernisation programme including the refurbishment of the Copt Heath clubhouse and changing facilities to be completed in September 2014.”
Julia is taking up the OSA Presidency later this month (December) after being President-Elect for the past three months. She organised a reunion of Former Old Girls from around the world at Solihull School this summer to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the arrival of girls.
The Old Silhillians’ Association was founded in 1921 to preserve friendships between the 453-year old independent school and its alumni.
