Helen graduated in Politics, Philosophy & Economics from St Hilda’s College, Oxford, before qualifying as a Management Accountant (CIMA) with Unilever. Stints in audit and risk management in the City and for Cable & Wireless in the UK and overseas followed. Helen is an MBA graduate of the Henley Management College (2001).
A career change in 2003 brought her into book publishing, working initially for Ottakar’s as a bookseller, then as commercial manager and acting FD, before joining Hodder & Stoughton as Commercial Finance Director. Over the next fifteen years, her role broadened to Chief Operating Officer including responsibility for production, inventory, distribution and the integration of new acquisitions, latterly managing a large IT project.
Currently, Helen is Board Chair for Swift Press (an award-winning independent publishing company that launched in June 2020) and for the last ten years has been a Trustee of the Chipping Norton Literary Festival.
What motivated you to join the Oxford School of Drama Board of Trustees?
I have a lifelong love of the theatre and cinema which meant that the opportunity to work with the Oxford School of Drama Trustees contributing to the work of the School in training the outstanding actors of the future was irresistible.
What would you like to contribute or achieve as part of your role?
The School is going through a period of change, bringing both exciting opportunities and challenges. I would like to use my skills and experience to ensure that the School is able to grow from a secure financial footing, allowing it to excel in all that it does in the future.
