TalkTalk’s former engagement lead launches new business

TalkTalk’s former head of engagement Helen McHugh has launched Marsden Strategy, a consultancy set up to help organisations to maximise the potential of their place-based strategies. 

Prior to founding Marsden Strategy, she worked as head of engagement and CSR for the Salford Quays-based telecoms business TalkTalk where she raised the profile and regional impact of the business. 

“Businesses that develop strong networks and collaborations have more impact, but they often need help to forge them. Marsden Strategy is for companies who want to raise their profile, build the right connections and drive positive change in the north,” she said.

Her skillset is engaging with key stakeholders including senior business leaders, academic institutions, charities, and politicians – spearheading campaigns at TalkTalk, including the Women In Tech awards, which positioned Greater Manchester as the best place to live and work in the technology sector.

In 2023 she spoke at a TheBusinessDesk.com Women in Business event about mentorship, authenticity and the importance of giving without expecting to get. “Champion people, be their wings, say other people’s names in a room full of people who will open up new possibilities,” she said.

Before moving to Manchester with her family in 2021, she spent 15 years in London working at the heart of Westminster politics, heading up the Labour Party’s Fundraising and Business Relations units. She re-built the Party’s business relations function, designing and developing an engagement strategy. 

She also worked for London & Partners (L&P) – the international trade, investment and promotional agency for London.