About Julian

Julian McKenzie is a Director at Inclusive Employers, responsible for driving strategic partnerships, leading business development, and enhancing client engagement to support organisations on their journey towards inclusive culture change. A passionate advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion (ED&I), Julian brings over 20 years of multi-sector experience across education, technology, public services, and the private sector.

His passion lies in helping organisations unlock inclusive potential through meaningful collaboration, transformative coaching, and people-centred leadership. At Inclusive Employers, Julian combines his commercial acumen with a deep personal commitment to inclusion to support clients in embedding sustainable cultural change that reflects the diversity of their workforce and communities.

Experience

Julian’s career spans senior leadership roles across a wide range of organisations, including Coventry University Group, Capita Software Services (now MRI Software), RM Education & Amber Energy. He has worked extensively with local authorities, NHS England, Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, and global consultancies such as EY and Deloitte to design and deliver impactful inclusion-led strategies and skills-based solutions.

While at Coventry University Group, Julian was a member of the Race Equality Group Leadership Team and played a vital role in supporting a positive culture shift across the organisation. He was part of a small, cross-functional team that designed and implemented a successful reciprocal mentoring programme and created the Values in Action Awards—initiatives that celebrated inclusive leadership behaviours and strengthened trust and engagement across the university community.

He also led the development of an Electrification Skills Pathway Programme that upskilled 1,200 workers at Jaguar Land Rover, an initiative that not only addressed emerging market demand but also enabled Jaguar Land Rover to stay on track with their strategic mission. His experience in both client-facing and strategic roles allows him to navigate complex organisational structures and deliver tangible value.

Skills

Julian holds a BA (Hons) in Business Studies, a Postgraduate Certificate in Ethical Leadership, and a Level 5 ILM qualification in Coaching and Mentoring. He is an accredited ILM Coach.

With a coaching style that is collaborative, inclusive and outcomes-focused, Julian empowers organisations, individuals and teams to realise their full potential.

Achievements

Julian has received multiple awards from previous organisations for providing great service and value. He is especially proud of his ability to lead high-performing teams, create inclusive workplaces, and develop strategic programmes that deliver measurable results.

In addition to his role in developing inclusion-led initiatives at Coventry University Group, Julian has chaired innovation and wellbeing groups, led ED&I projects from ideation through to implementation, and played a crucial role in embedding inclusive behaviours across leadership, academic, and operational teams.

Beyond the workplace, Julian is a Non-Executive Director at the Northamptonshire Black History Association, a grassroots football coach, and an active contributor to his local athletics club—showcasing his commitment to inclusion both professionally and personally.

Connect with our inclusion professionals

Our team can provide expert support to advance your inclusion journey. If you would like to explore how our colleagues could work with your organisation to create an inclusive work culture, complete our contact us form and a friendly member of our team will be in touch.