Top Middle East-based international anchors of 2021
Current occupation: Journalist, news anchor and documentary presenter for Al Jazeera English.
Former employers: LBC, ITV News Channel, Channel 5, Sky News, BBC Three, BBC News.
Education: City University, London
Nationality: British
Journalist and news anchor Julie MacDonald was one of the original Al Jazeera news readers when the channel launched in 2006. Her successful career consisted of working with big names in media, including ITV, Sky News, BBC News, and Channel 5.
Trained as a journalist at the City University of London, MacDonald rose to prominence through her eloquence and calm nature. She began her career with ITV News Channel and later went on to become Channel 5’s entertainment correspondent and anchor for its breakfast show.
MacDonald then moved to the BBC and became weekend presenter for BBC Three and BBC News. She has also worked in radio as a member of Simon Mayo’s 5 Live panel, a weekly team contributing their views on TV and media news.
After the launch of the channel in 2006, MacDonald signed up for Al Jazeera as a news anchor based in Doha, Qatar. After a few years there, she switched to Al Jazeera’s bureau in London and is now one of the news anchors and program presenters.
An experienced public speaker, MacDonald has hosted and moderated various panels, conferences, events, award ceremonies, and workshops. Her specific subjects of interest include healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry, innovation, business and storytelling, international affairs, and working motherhood.
One of her standout programs was “Conversations with a Serial Killer,” an investigative documentary about some of the world’s most prolific murderers.
