Helen Bassett is senior vice president and director of live news and events for Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal. In her role, she oversees more than 150 events annually.
Iconic events such as WSJ Tech Live and Journal House – an immersive concept first launched in Davos – have expanded globally to cities such as Singapore and Doha. Each event provides an opportunity to interact with The Wall Street Journal brand.
The All Things Future Festival is a multi-track, multi-experience event that tells stories through activities. Skift Meetings named the event one of the Best Business Events of 2024.
A theme that ran through these gatherings was the central role of the editor. “Whether it’s the WSJ newsroom, our custom content team, our magazines or any Dow Jones brand, editors are at the heart of building the narrative and setting the agenda,” Bassett said. “They are our partners in helping us understand the business needs, the goals we need, the audiences we want to convene, and then helping us understand how to tell those stories and how to bring that content to life.”
Bassett approaches every event holistically, putting the audience front and center. “Time is the most precious commodity we have. We make sure that if we ask people to spend time with us, it’s worth it,” she said.
New York City sets the stage
The All Things Future Festival is a blend of interviews, immersive lab extensions, and experiences throughout New York City. “Everything from chef’s tables and culinary experiences to Broadway nights is through thinking about how we can focus on the business and cultural economy of this city,” Bassett said.
Sustainability plays an important role in Bassett’s event strategy. Eco-friendly practices are incorporated into every product, including reused materials, local sourcing and repurposed designs.
“We’re trying to think thoughtfully about how we manage this, whether it’s thinking from a hospitality perspective or how we serve food to make sure we use local suppliers. Also, how we build our scenery and sets and whether they can be re- for other activities,” Bassett said.
For example, the set for the All Things Future Festival was designed with the Brooklyn Community Garden in mind. “They were looking for a new pergola and we built this set so that it could be rebuilt in that garden,” she said.
Additionally, the company donates all reusable materials after the event to benefit the local community.
