Helen Dean has spent her working life working in government and in financial services, where she has focussed on improving financial resilience for individuals and families across the UK. 

After studying Psychology Helen started her career in Government where she developed the policy and legislation for the pension reforms that led to auto enrolment and the establishment of National Employment Savings Trust (Nest).  Helen moved to work at Nest which launched in 2012, and after undertaking a variety of Executive roles at Nest, in 2015 she was appointed as CEO.  Helen led Nest through a period of substantial and rapid growth where the membership rose from 2 million to over 13 million people and pension assets grew from £600 million to over £40 billion.

Helen cares deeply about delivering great outcomes for savers through sustainable and responsible investment, connecting with the new cohort of savers generated by auto enrolment and about promoting diversity across financial services industry. She is a mentor to younger professionals, offering guidance and coaching. Helen’s early life, growing up on a council estate in Newcastle Upon Tyne, followed by several years working in local benefit offices across London left her with a passionate interest in addressing financial inequalities and promoting financial resilience across society. 

Helen left Nest in 2024, and she is now Chair of the Standard Life Master trust pension scheme, a Trustee and SID at Step Change debt charity and Chair of the Governance Committee for Your Island Pension, the scheme which the government of Guernsey has established for their new programme of auto enrolment into pensions. 

Helen was awarded a CBE in the 2021 New Year Honours list for her services to pension saving.