Julie Lassaigne became Secretary General of ETRC, the trade association representing the European Duty Free and Travel Retail channel, in February 2019. In this role, she manages and represents the organisation both externally and towards its members. Julie first joined ETRC in 2013 where she was responsible for managing some of the key challenges affecting the duty free and travel retail sector including product information to consumers, taxation, health and transport issues. Prior to joining ETRC, Julie gained extensive experience working for public affairs consultancies in Brussels. A French national, Julie holds a double Master degree in Governance of Organisations and Public Affairs & Representation of Interests from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques of Bordeaux.
What does this award mean to you personally and professionally?
I sometimes find personal recognition and awards difficult to embrace because success is never the result of one person’s efforts alone—it relies on a strong team at work and a supportive environment at home.
A preconception I had was to believe that awards are reserved for a single “wow” moment, but I’ve come to realize that was a misconception of the journey behind every small and big professional moment. To me, this award recognizes consistent professional dedication and a genuine passion for driving positive change in our industry.
I would also like to pay tribute to the other nominees in my category, who are all exceptional female leaders and an inspiration in their own right.
What has been the most defining moment or achievement in your career so far?
What comes to mind is a truly collaborative success during the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2020, as Europe was preparing to emerge from the first lockdown, ETRC received a draft proposal from the European Commission recommending that duty-free shops remain closed as airports reopened.
With just 24 hours to respond, we worked closely with our retail members to build a strong case and engage with European stakeholders. We were ultimately successful in securing the principle that airport retail areas could reopen alongside airports.
It was undoubtedly one of the most challenging periods of my life, but also one of the most professionally rewarding, demonstrating the power of collaboration and collective action.
What advice would you give to women building a career in Travel Retail?
Believe in your talent and your abilities, stay authentic, make your voice heard (speak up!), and build a strong network of allies around you.
Travel Retail is a wonderful industry—many even describe it as a family. Throughout my career, I have found people to be incredibly generous with their advice, support, and willingness to help others grow. Don’t hesitate to reach out to those who can guide, mentor, and support you on your professional journey.
What inspires or motivates you most in your leadership journey today?
I aim to continue learning, keep growing, and always look for ways to elevate those around you. I believe in a leadership style that is genuine, authentic, and approachable—one that views collaboration not just as a value, but as a key measure of success.
Today, we experience the consequences of living in a world that is ruled by displays of power: who speaks the loudest, who exerts the greatest pressure, who appears the strongest. While empathy is certainly not exclusive to women, I am convinced that a world with more female leaders would be a better place. That is why I am committed to play a small part in our industry by being a strong advocate for greater visibility, representation, and recognition of women in society.
Your favourite inspirational quote
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou
Julie’s journey is a powerful reminder that meaningful leadership is rarely defined by one single moment. It is built through consistency, collaboration and the determination to create positive change — particularly when circumstances are at their most challenging.
Her belief in authentic and approachable leadership, and in using success to elevate those around her, strongly reflects the values we champion at Women in Travel Retail. Her commitment to greater visibility, representation and recognition for women across our industry makes her not only a deserving recipient of this recognition, but an important voice for the progress we want to see.
At WiTR, we are delighted to celebrate Julie and her contribution to the Travel Retail community. Her story reminds us of the power of speaking up, building strong networks and, perhaps most importantly, remembering that the way we make people feel can leave just as lasting an impact as what we achieve.
Congratulations, Julie, on this very well-deserved recognition.
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