Meet Helena Hamilton, Partner in Data & AI

Read on to hear Helena Hamilton, a Partner and the National Data & AI Offering Leader at Deloitte's Melbourne office, share her journey and insights into her role.

With experience leading Deloitte's national Data & AI practice, Helena provides insights on her career, the evolving landscape of data and artificial intelligence, and the supportive culture at Deloitte. 

Tell us about your role at Deloitte and what it involves, and what first drew you to the firm? 

I lead Deloitte Consulting’s national Data & AI practice, a team of over 600 people nationally. I've been in this role for 18 months, prior to which I was leading the Data & AI Victorian government team. 

I was referred to Deloitte in 2010 after a former colleague spotted my LinkedIn status change as I returned to work from extended parental leave. We caught up for coffee, and the flexibility (I had 2 young kids) and the incredible thought leadership and market leadership on Data is what got me over the line. 

What was your experience like when transitioning into a leadership role within Deloitte?

My transition to Partner was smooth because my coach worked with me, across multiple years, to help me develop a Partner (business owner) mindset. The day I signed my first contract as a Partner, I had written and reviewed so many contracts/statements of work and was familiar with our Q&R processes, so it was not as daunting as it otherwise may have been.

What is your career highlight or proudest moment at Deloitte so far? 

I'm really proud of the progress we've made with gender diversity, especially the number of female Partners we now have in our Melbourne team. We've made active choices to help drive this. Personally, I have been supported and sponsored by a range of leaders at Deloitte.

A moment I remember when I first joined Deloitte, 13 years ago, I sat down with my Coaching Partner at the time to discuss how I would make my part-time manager role work, with 2 young kids at home. He gave me a blank look and said, "well, I can't say we have a framework for that, but you tell me what works for you, and I'll support it." This gave me license to pave the way and fundamentally shifted the way I thought about work and home commitments. I also walked away from that short conversation feeling very empowered. 

How does Deloitte help you develop your career, and why is it important to you?

Deloitte has actively supported gender diversity, and I've had a lot of autonomy in how I spend my time. Whenever things seem too hard or complex, there's always a team milestone or achievement or something to celebrate that helps balance things out.

What does hybrid or remote working look like for you? 

I work similarly to how I worked pre-pandemic. I try to do 1 or 2 days at home, which is usually very productive and good 'catch up' time. The other days I am in the office. I don't necessarily get as much done, but it's great for connection and those unplanned interactions that are invaluable. 

Why do you believe Deloitte is an excellent fit for women considering a career move?

Deloitte is a great place for women, not just because of the flexibility and career development opportunities but also because Deloitte is very progressive in its policies and is always looking for new and innovative ways to engage and attract female talent, e.g., the return to work program, tech secondments, inspiring women program.

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