When Julie Slocum Bennani first joined Microsoft as an Accenture analyst in 1996, she didn’t anticipate that her short UAT assignment would evolve into a multi-decade legacy of transformative impact. But her gift for aligning big-picture vision with cross-functional collaboration and operational execution would soon position her as a critical architect of scalable change.
Over the next 11+ years, Julie’s Accenture work spanned some of the most pivotal programs in Microsoft’s evolution—from leading the end-to-end launch supply chain operations of Xbox in North America to co-designing the go-to-market strategy for the Open Value licensing program. She played a key role across CRM/PRM strategies and operations for global teams and worked extensively across Microsoft’s Enterprise, Mid-Market and Small Business, OEM, Developer\ISV, and Field partner and customer organizations. Her strong reputation was built not only on execution, but on her ability to bridge silos and create structures that would scale end-to-end.
In 2007, Julie transitioned from consultant to full-time Microsoft employee, stepping into a leadership role under then-Channel Chief Allison Watson. Her mission: transform the aging Microsoft Partner Program (MSPP) into the modernized Microsoft Partner Network. At the height of the global financial crisis, Julie led a broad coalition across Business Groups, IT, Operations, and Services to deliver a vision rooted in clarity, consistency, and community and despite major pivots to the hundreds of thousands of partners in the program globally, partner retention and alignment was excellent.
Her leadership enabled several firsts: transitioning Action Packs from physical to fully digital delivery, launching Microsoft’s first-ever global partner sales accreditation program and co-building a strong partnership and synergy between Developer and Customer and Field enablement organizations, and building repeatable partner-type launch frameworks and growth and investment alignment across all commercial product groups that could flex to new technologies (and partner business models) —including Microsoft’s shift from on-premise to cloud software, which also happened during her tenure.
Julie’s approach was patient and persistent. She prioritized deep listening, gave stakeholders true ownership in the process, and stayed the course—even when economic headwinds challenged the pace of innovation. “Real transformation happens when you align vision with trust,” she says. “It’s not about leading alone—it’s about empowering others to co-create with you.”
From 2008 to 2014, Julie was recognized externally as one of CRN’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women of the Channel and served as global spokesperson for Microsoft’s five-star partner program. Internally, her legacy lives on through the systems, frameworks, and partner enablement structures that continue to scale across the Microsoft ecosystem.
Now serving as Executive Advisor at Accenture, Julie continues to bring her unique blend of strategy and empathy to global change initiatives—always grounded in the belief that big systems evolve best when built on trust.
About #empowHER50 campaign: This campaign celebrates women leaders at Microsoft, past and present, who have been instrumental in democratizing access to technology, opportunity, and growth. By honoring their contributions over the last half-century, this campaign highlights stories of resilience, innovation, and inclusivity. Through digital spotlights, a commemorative coffee table book, live recognition events, and more, the campaign inspires collective action toward achieving equitable societal goals. To learn more about empowHER50, please visit https://womenincloud.com/empowHER50
To learn about Microsoft 50th celebrations: https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-50/
