Helen Bassett is senior vice president of Live and Events for Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal.

Working hand-in-hand with the Wall Street Journal’s newsroom helps Bassett and her team identify what, and who, are making the biggest waves regarding how we live, work, and play. 

We discussed the upcoming the sixth iteration of the Future of Everything Festival, an event where industries, innovators, and ideas intersect. It's three days of concurrent sessions and experiences happening on multiple stages, with this year's focus on key issues around mobility, artificial intelligence, equality, and sustainability.

Right Place at the Right Time

When she set out on her career path, Bassett wasn’t familiar with the world of business events. Her first stop was a marketing role at one of the UK’s leading radio stations where she learned the value of events and their power in connecting audiences. 

Then it was off to Sydney where she took a short hiatus from the media industry, working at more consumer-facing brands and not-for-profits.

An opportunity to head up the events team at Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal had her packing her bags and moving to New York City, where she resides today. 

Sustainability

With a focus on making less of an impact on the environment, creating set pieces for the festival made from sustainable materials that are then donated is important. For example, last year’s stage backdrop is now a sunshade for a community garden in Brooklyn. In addition, the stage iself is part of the garden as well. 

Inspiration

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is an event that inspires Bassett. “There are so many brands there activating and telling their story experientially in different ways. And I think it's so interesting to see what other businesses think is cutting edge and how they tell their story,” she says. 

Many event planners attend the Future of Everything Festival for inspiration. From its design to its thought leaders, many call it a journey of transformation.