Julie Meyer
Swiss-based American businesswoman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Julie Marie Meyer is an American businesswoman.
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Julie Meyer | |
|---|---|
Meyer in 2015 | |
| Born | 28 August 1966 |
| Education | Valparaiso University INSEAD |
| Occupations | CEO Author |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Website | juliemariemeyer |
Early life and education
Meyer was born in Dearborn, Michigan.[1]
Career
Meyer moved to London in 1998 and worked at NewMedia Investors (later Spark Ventures) for one year.[2] In the same year, Meyer co-founded First Tuesday, a forum to connect entrepreneurs with investors, which was sold in 2000[2][3][4] before being dissolved in 2001.[5]
In August 2000, Meyer founded the investment advisory firm Ariadne Capital.[2] In 2010, Ariadne Capital launched the Ariadne Capital Entrepreneurs (ACE) Fund,[6] which has since been dissolved.[7]
In 2009, she was a panelist in the online version of Dragon's Den.[6] In 2010, Meyer was selected as one of 26 business people tasked with advising the British government on business policies to encourage entrepreneurship in the United Kingdom.[8]
In 2012, Meyer was part of an advisory committee led by entrepreneur James Caan, called StartUp Loans, that was funded with £82.5 million.[9]
Since 2018, Meyer has been the sole director of Viva investment Partners AG, a company registered in Switzerland,[10] managing a UK-registered investment vehicle with negative shareholder equity which has since been dissolved via compulsory strike-off. [11]
Legal and regulatory issues
In 2014, Ariadne Capital hired the public relations firm Lansons Communications.[12] A Lansons employee contacted Wikipedia and the communication was posted on the Talk page of the Julie Meyer article.[12][13] Ariadne filed a lawsuit against Lansons for more than £100,000 in damages, and Lansons counterclaimed for about £76,000 in unpaid fees.[12] The litigation was settled, with an undisclosed sum paid to Lansons.[14]
In 2015, Ariadne Capital was ordered to pay £50,000 after a contract dispute related to StartUp Loans was heard in court.[15]
In 2016, Ariadne paid a £64,500.90 judgment, as ordered, after a contract dispute with a former employee.[16]
In April 2018, a summons was not successfully served on Meyer in a case in Malta, in which Meyer claimed to be attempting to pay employees, and her attorney confirmed the money was available and would be paid.[17] By May 2018, the summons had still not been successfully served on Meyer, and the Malta court indicated the case would continue until Meyer or her co-defendant appeared in a criminal case, regardless of whether the payments were made.[18]
On 11 May 2018, the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) suspended the investment services license of Ariadne Capital Malta Limited with immediate effect, alleging multiple "serious breaches of license conditions".[19][20]
In February 2022, Meyer was given a six-month suspended sentence for contempt of court by the High Court in the UK, for failure to appear in court hearings or follow court orders, in a case brought by attorneys Farrer & Co, based on allegations of unpaid fees.[21] Meyer unsuccessfully appealed the suspended sentence.[22]
On 2 August 2025, the UK Cabinet Office made Meyer forfeit her MBE award, for "bringing the honours system into disrepute".[23][24]
Awards and honours
- 2000: EY Entrepreneur of the Year - UK winners[25]
- 2002: WEF/Global Leaders for Tomorrow[26]
- 2011: Member of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Entrepreneurship, forfeited in 2025 for "Bringing the Honours System into Disrepute".[24]
- 2014: Honorary Degree from Warwick University, revoked in 2022.[27]
- 2020: Bronze Stevie Award from the Stevie Award For Women in Business[28]