Introducing our new Principal Consultant, Helen Hartley
Meet Helen Hartley, Definia’s newest Principal Consultant, who joined the team in October 2026. With a career spanning the NHS, pharma, construction and risk management, Helen brings deep experience in large-scale transformation, digital implementation and laboratory information management systems (LIMS).
Marketing Manager Alice Hankin sat down with her to learn more about her background, her views on business transformation and what she’s most looking forward to in this new role.
Welcome to Definia! Can you tell us more about yourself and your professional background?
I started out as a medical secretary and worked in pretty much every department there was. When my hospital rolled out an electronic patient record (EPR) system, I was offered the chance to work as an assistant to a biomedical scientist on the programme.
I knew the patient journeys end to end, so I suppose that was my first step into business analysis: knowing the process and understanding where there were delays, paper processes, handoffs and systems that weren’t integrated. Without knowing it, I was already thinking about frameworks such as SIPOC (suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, customers) and PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal, environmental), considering how change was managed and how it affected the people in the process.
After the EPR programme, I was asked to join the systems management team, where I learned about system configuration, change management and testing. From there, I became a contractor and have worked on quite a few Definia client programmes over the last few years. Most of my experience has been in the NHS and pharma, focusing on large-scale transformations, digital implementations and LIMS. I’ve also worked in construction, risk management and, more recently, AI implementations.
What are you doing in this new role at Definia, and how will you help clients?
I’ll be working on two large-scale client programmes to start with. I’ll also be responsible for growing our Business Analysis capability through frameworks, methodologies, proposition development and mentoring consultants across the practice.
In your view, what are the biggest challenges facing businesses today when it comes to change and transformation?
Purpose. One of the biggest challenges facing organisations today is keeping clarity of purpose throughout transformation. Too often, programmes, workstreams, governance and timelines take over and the “why” gets diluted. Decisions become harder, priorities blur and people can’t see the value of the change.
Having worked in the NHS and pharma during the pandemic, I became acutely aware of the human side of change. I saw first-hand how a well-intended change can affect people’s confidence, resilience and wellbeing. Successful transformation is about bringing people with you and making sure they’re supported through it.
The organisations that succeed keep their focus on purpose and people. When people understand the “why” and feel part of the change, it’s far more likely to deliver and stick.
What are you most looking forward to in this new role at Definia?
Meeting the team face to face and building relationships. I’m eager to get stuck into my first client programme, as I love helping organisations navigate meaningful change. I’m also looking forward to experiencing consultancy from the other side of the table. I’ve spent much of my career as a client or contractor, so it will be interesting to learn how a consultancy operates behind the scenes and see how client engagements are shaped.
Outside of work, what do you do for fun?
We have a makeshift home studio. My partner makes beats and produces music as a hobby and I provide the vocals. Believe it or not, singing live builds a lot of transferable skills: collaboration, listening, confidence and performing under pressure. Don’t worry, I won’t be singing in my workshops!
Want to find out how Helen Hartley and the Definia team can support your next transformation journey? Get in touch — we’d love to hear what you’re working on.
