The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has announced that Julie Pringle-Stewart MBE, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, will retire from the organisation on 31st August 2026, after over 20 years of service to NOC and in research finance and governance.
Julie joined NOC as a Director in 2013, having previously held senior roles within the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), including Deputy Director Finance, and Head of Finance (Research Ship Unit), where she headed the finance and operations team. A Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Julie began her career in the financial sector before moving into research, working with the British Geological Survey on the commercialisation of its portfolio and later contributing to the national reform of the dual support funding system, including the introduction of TRAC (Transparent Approach to Costing).
She has played a pivotal role in shaping NOC, leading its finance, operations and corporate services functions through significant periods of change and growth. Julie was instrumental in supporting NOC's transition from part of NERC to an independent charitable organisation and has directed major capital programmes including a multi-million investment in marine autonomous vehicles and infrastructure upgrades across NOC's sites. Her strategic leadership, sound judgement and unwavering commitment have helped strengthen the foundations that enable NOC's science, innovation and impact.
Beyond her professional achievements, Julie is widely known across NOC for her passion for developing people as a mentor and a role model. She is an inspirational figure for women balancing demanding careers, having done so herself as a single mother of three children. In 2025, Julie’s contribution was recognised nationally when she was awarded an MBE for services to ocean science in the King's Birthday Honours, acknowledging the key role she played in establishing and developing NOC as an independent charitable body.
It has been a privilege to spend so much of my career at NOC, working alongside such talented and dedicated colleagues. I'm incredibly proud of what we've built together, particularly seeing NOC establish itself as an independent charity with such a strong foundation for the future. I'll be watching NOC's continued success with great pride.
Julie Pringle-Stewart, commenting on her retirement.
Prof. John Siddorn, CEO of the National Oceanography Centre, said: “On behalf of the Board, Executive Team and all colleagues, I want to express our sincere gratitude to Julie for her outstanding service, leadership and dedication to NOC. Her strategic vision and steady hand have helped guide us through some of the most significant changes in our history, and her legacy, from our independence as a charity to the infrastructure that underpins our science, will be felt for years to come. We wish her every happiness in her retirement."
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