MY CAREER IN SIX SPOTLIGHT
Julia Coates
Director, Consulting Services
CGI
Sharing her career journey by answering the six questions below.
Who or what has been your biggest source of inspiration throughout your career?
The Chief Technology Officer at a leading IT consulting firm, whom I met in 1999. They had no traditional technical pedigree, yet led with rare clarity and energy. For more than twenty-five years, they have challenged me to push past my limits and take on work I would not have chosen on my own.
Would you say your success is primarily due to luck or hard work?
Sustained hard work, with some well-timed luck. The luck came from working alongside strong technical and business leaders who recognized my potential early and created opportunities for me to grow.
What is the driving force behind your career aspirations?
Staying engaged, learning continuously, and working on problems that matter. At CGI, that means contributing to large-scale payment systems that people and institutions rely on every day. The work needs to have real impact.
If given the chance to do one thing differently in your career, what would it be and why?
Early in my career, I would have spoken up more about my contributions and pursued opportunities to lead. I delivered consistently, but allowed myself to be seen primarily as a dependable technical resource rather than someone shaping direction.
What was your most favourite job/role and why?
Two roles stand out. Early in my career, I was the lead server-side and e-commerce architect for Webkinz, building games and the e-Store from the ground up. A small, tight team shipping new games and features at a pace that was impressive and thrilling. Seeing the first credit card transaction go through—and knowing millions of kids were using what we built—was unforgettable. The fast pace and pressure around uptime taught me how to design resilient payment systems at scale.
Later, as a Solution Architect for a national Canadian payments system supported by CGI’s infrastructure operations services, I worked at the intersection of technology, operations, and business outcomes, with impact on millions of users. That experience brought together my full range of skills and led to my current role at CGI, designing and building infrastructure for Canada’s real-time rail.
Do you have a favourite motto or quote that guides your professional life?
From Office Space: “What would you say… you do here?” It forces a clear answer. The work should be tangible, meaningful, and something you can stand behind.”