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Design leader & management expert

Julie Zhuo

Transform design leadership with Julie Zhuo, speaker and former Facebook VP of Design. Julie works with growing teams to master management transitions, people-centric leadership, and digital transformation, delivering insights through her popular blog "The Year of the Looking Glass."

Trusted by Lyft, Facebook

Julie Zhuo
Julie Zhuo

Julie Zhuo

San Francisco, United States

Typical fee range

$11k–25k

This is an estimated fee range for local in-person events. Location and format affect the final fee.

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Book Julie

San Francisco, United States

Starting from

$11k–25k

Send an email

loading@getapeptalk.com

Give us a call

+44 203 835 2929

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Julie Zhuo's biography

At a glance

  • Former Vice President of Design at Facebook
  • Author of The Year of the Looking Glass blog
  • Expert in leadership and digital transformation strategies

Julie Zhuo, the former Vice President of Design at Facebook, has significantly transformed her management role as her team has grown. Initially leading a small group, she has had to adapt to the challenges of managing a larger team, including the need to shift from direct to indirect management and understanding how people respond to her leadership. Julie emphasizes the constant need for context shifting, the importance of choosing battles wisely, and the paramountcy of people-centric skills.


Her popular blog, "The Year of the Looking Glass," shares these insights, where she explores the intersection of technology and design, highlighting the power of positive leadership in inspiring teams. For those seeking practical management skills, guidance on providing impactful feedback, or steps towards digital transformation in business, Julie's experience and guidance serve as a valuable resource for personal and professional growth.

Julie's showreel and videos

Topics, sessions and talks

The Making Of A Manager: What To Do When Everyone Looks To You

The transition from employee to manager is cause for celebration and concern. Beyond making reports, how does a person manage other employees? What Are the most important skills a manager should know to create a successful team? When Julie Zhuo Went from top product designer to Facebook exec, she was faced with the daunting prospect of leading her peers. Fortunately, she had a mentor to guide her way, but many new managers are not so fortunate. Until now, that is. Based on compelling stories from her own experience, Zhuo provides audiences with the mentorship and skills they need to lead and succeed.

Mastering The Art Of Feedback

For leaders and employees, one of the most stressful situations can be the giving and receiving of feedback. Feedback is necessary for people to improve their work and grow in their role. When done well, feedback can help people improve and thrive in a position. When done poorly, feedback can create a culture of tension. After working for over a decade at Facebook, Julie Zhuo has learned the art of giving and receiving feedback. Using stories from her experience, she provides actionable takeaways that can improve the experience for both parties.

Why we recommend booking Julie

Julie offers your team insights into effective leadership, design innovation, and digital transformation strategies. Benefit from her vast experience at Facebook, learn practical management skills, and be inspired to foster a culture of creativity and positive change in your organization.

Check Julie's availability

Trusted by Lyft, Facebook

Testimonials

Julie does an incredible job simplifying the role of a manager. She pulls you in with all the awkward, funny and tough moments, and then takes you on an engaging journey. If you're a first time manager, you'll learn how to hit the ground running, and experienced managers will level-up their game!

Logan Green

CEO & Co-founder, Lyft

Julie is like that friend giving you some much-needed tips over coffee—her style cuts through industry jargon and gets at the heart of how to lead with confidence and help your team do their best work.

Nir Eyal

Author, HOOKED

Featured Projects

Julie Zhuo - The Making Of A Manager book cover

frequently asked questions

Something we've not covered here?

How do I book Julie Zhuo for my next event?

Email julie.zhuo@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Julie's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.

What is Julie Zhuo's speaking style like?

Julie Zhuo draws on first-person narratives from her tenure at Facebook to structure her sessions, using these stories as the vehicle through which she delivers practical frameworks on management and feedback.

What topics does Julie Zhuo specialise in?

Julie Zhuo speaks on the transition into management, the art of giving and receiving feedback, and building people-centric leadership skills. She served as Vice President of Design at Facebook, where she scaled and led one of the company's largest design organisations.

Does PepTalk charge a booking fee?

No. PepTalk adds no booking fee, so you pay the speaker's fee and nothing beyond it. The service, from shortlist through to contracts and event-day logistics, is included. For repeat or multi-event bookings, PepTalk can agree preferential rates with your procurement team.

What happens after I send a brief?

Share your event date, audience, format, objectives and budget, and PepTalk sends a hand-picked shortlist within 24 hours. Each suggestion comes with a profile, a fee and a recommendation on the strongest fit. Once you choose, PepTalk handles contracts, travel and logistics through to event day.

What does the typical fee range mean?

The typical fee range is the speaker's standard in-person fee in their home market, shown in their local currency. It moves with format, location, date and session length: virtual sessions and shorter slots usually cost less, while international travel and peak dates cost more. Send your brief to PepTalk and the team will confirm the exact fee in your currency.

Have all the speakers on the website worked with PepTalk before?

Not all of them, and it makes no difference to your booking. PepTalk's network of 15,000+ speakers covers talent the team works with directly alongside speakers represented by agents and agencies worldwide. PepTalk approaches the speaker, negotiates the fee and handles contracting either way.

How far in advance should I book a speaker?

Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.