Helena is the co-founder of Ikigai, a net zero bankability consultancy, co-developer and tech accelerator. She advises local authorities and regional growth boards, investors, and industry on decarbonisation routemaps and investment strategies, across the energy and transport spectrum.  Prior to Ikigai, she was the head of energy capital investment for the UK Department for International Trade and has 12+ years’ experience as a projects and project finance lawyer with international law firm, Herbert Smith Freehills, where she was recognised as a leading lawyer in energy by Legal 500 2016. She helped to define and advance the Equator Principles primary international standards in environmental and social risk in lending and has held several non-executive board positions, including with the largest regeneration and social housing provider in the UK, Places for People Plc.