Coming over to the venue side, meet our newest team member, Venue Services Manager: Helena Shelley...
The BDC has a fantastic team, everyone of whom contribute something special and make it a great place to work. From our front of house staff who always welcome guests with a smile to partners like our incredible culinary crew who provide some of Angel’s most delicious dishes, each one has a story to share.
Over the last year we have had a few new faces join the BDC team, so we thought we would start by introducing our newest member Helena, who joined us in March 2025. We caught up with Helena to learn a bit more about her, what she is looking forward to and some top tips.
Helena has joined the Venue Services department as a Venue Services Manager, covering for Daniela whilst she is on maternity leave. She joins Hayley, Jess, Renay, Izzy, and Lucy in delivering the BDC’s busy exhibition calendar.
Prior to starting here, Helena was a freelance Event Operations Manager working on a host of events, including The Podcast Show. She has over 13 years experience working in the events industry and brings with her a wealth of knowledge to the small but mighty team.
Looking to the future, Helena is most looking forward to experiencing the events from a venue aspect rather than as the organiser, which she has done in previous years.
Chatting about the event industry, we asked some of Helena’s advice from her career…
What's the best advice you've received?
“One saying that I often think about in relation to events is, ‘We are where we are.’ Sometimes things don’t work out the way you planned, however just deal with the situation in front of you as best as you can, be nice and get it done.”
What advice would you give to someone starting in the industry?
“Be kind, be fair, be honest and treat everyone with respect. You are all a team and everyone is important. Everyone is working hard, has had a long day and is all doing their best. Have fun, don’t take it too seriously and keep it in perspective. “
And how about you…
What are your favourite weekend plans?
“Not having any plans or anything to do, so that myself and the family can do whatever we want.”
Any hobbies we should know about?
“Standing on the side of a Rugby or Football pitch watching my kids play, gardening or walking the dog.”
Found a favourite place to eat near the BDC yet?
“Currently FiveGuys, but I am looking forward to exploring more places over the coming period.”
What's your most memorable trip?
“Taking the kids to Disney World and going on all the rides and experiencing the magic.”
Over the coming months we will be introducing more of the team, getting to know some new and also longstanding faces.
You can find out more or revisit some of our previous interviews using #peopleoftheBDC.
