“Leaning into the messiness and discomfort of change is fundamental to bringing more diversity. There is no silver bullet.”
Helen is a leadership and diversity advisor, bringing top credentials from business and academia infused with her authentic story.
Helen’s three-decade career originates in policy analysis and implementation services for large government clients, spanning Europe, Asia and the US. She set up and grew eight-figure P&Ls, serving Directorate-Generals and executive agencies of the European Commission. As Vice President for a fast-growing business, she became strategic lead for business development and advisor for organisational transformation across two continents.
Often ‘the only woman in the room’ at senior levels, she has spearheaded DEI and cultural change initiatives. This includes leading a Gender-balanced Leadership Task Force to drive women’s careers and a Cultural Broker Community to foster inclusion and collaboration across 50+ nationalities and multiple offices.
Aged 50, Helen decided to ‘go back to school’ and study world-class thinking on individual and organisational psychology. She honed her ability to understand the drivers of human behaviour and dynamics of organistional change, earning - with distinction - an Executive Master in Change from INSEAD. Her ground-breaking research on women’s sponsorship was hailed “excellent in all dimensions” and recommended for public journals by INSEAD faculty.
Helen’s personal experiences - notably living through anorexia nervosa and abusive relationships in earlier years - have profoundly shaped her outlook, bringing deep empathy for others and the courage to carry on. She subtly weaves these insights into her work with clients, offering a profoundly authentic and impactful perspective on what it means to live, work and be human in leadership.
30+
years in international business
8-figure
P&L responsibility
12+
years in executive leadership
3+
years in psychology education
“This makes for a uniquely valuable contribution to the study of gender issues in organisations and should be read by all who aspire to leadership.”
— Dr Michael Shiel, Adjunct Professor of Strategy, INSEAD
“This is a stellar thesis and brings to bear not only a strong, EMC theoretical foundation, but also original and robust contribution to theory and practice…From an academic point of view, this is excellent in all dimensions.”
— Dr Elizabeth Florent Treacy, Senior Lecturer and Thesis Director, INSEAD
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