Helen Cooke

MyPlus CEO & Founder

As the CEO of MyPlus Helen takes responsibility for the overall strategy and management of the different elements of the business. 

Helen provides MyPlus Consulting expertise to our clients, business development for new customers, delivers MyPlus Recruiters’ Club events and represents the company at external events including key note speaking engagements and panellist. 

Helen also runs MyPlus Students’ Club careers insight events on behalf of different industry sectors for students who have a disability. Designed to build the confidence of individuals to apply to organisations and gain the support they require both during the recruitment process, they also provide Helen with invaluable insights which she draws upon in her work in bringing disabled students and employers together.

Upon graduating, Helen started her career as a Commercial Management Trainee with Marks and Spencer. After 3.5 years with M&S, Helen joined Mars Inc where, after a brief stint in the sales division, she moved into HR where she spent the next three years working as an HR Business Partner. Helen then moved into the resourcing team. Here she was responsible for internal and external recruitment as well as establishing graduate management programmes for the finance, sales and marketing divisions.

In addition to her own experiences of disability, Helen has worked extensively with other disabled individuals. Helen has gained a lot of experience from her involvement with The Back Up Trust, an organisation which supports individuals after spinal cord injury. In 2007, Helen developed the Back Up to Work course which she continues to deliver today and in 2016 Helen was incredibly proud to become a mentor for the Back Up Trust. In 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022 Helen’s work was recognised when she was included in the Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 list and in 2020 the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) set up a Disability Commission for which Helen is a Commissioner. In 2021 Helen was named as a ‘Woman to Watch’ in the annual list compiled by Cranfield School of Management.

Outside of work Helen enjoys swimming and skiing, and in 2017 did her first half marathon! Whilst working at Mars, Helen took a sabbatical which she spent volunteering for the Whistler Adaptive Sports Programme which aims to get disabled individuals skiing, regardless of their impairment. Helen drew on her own love of the sport to inspire others to have a go.