Helen Bassett is senior vice president and head of live journalism and events at Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal. In her role, she oversees a portfolio of more than 150 events annually.

Signature events like WSJ Tech Live and Journal House — an immersive concept first launched in Davos — have expanded globally to cities like Singapore and Doha. Each event offers an opportunity to engage with the WSJ brand.

The Future of Everything Festival is a multi-track, multi-experience event that exemplifies storytelling through events. Skift Meetings named the event one of the Best Business Events of 2024.

One theme throughout these gatherings is the central role of editors.  “Whether it’s with the Wall Street Journal newsroom or our custom content team or our magazine or any of the Dow Jones brands, the editors are at the heart of building the narrative and setting the agenda,” said Bassett. “They are very much our partner in understanding the business imperative, the objectives we need, the audience we want to convene and then helping us understand how we tell those stories and how we bring that content to life.”

Bassett approaches each event holistically, keeping the audience front and center. “Time is the most valuable commodity we have. We make sure if we’re asking people to spend time with us, it is time well spent,” she said.

New York City Sets The Stage

The Future of Everything Festival integrates interviews, an immersive lab extension, and experiences throughout New York City. “Everything from chefs’ tables, culinary experiences, to a night on Broadway, all through the lens of thinking about how we can spotlight both the business and the cultural economy of the city,” said Bassett.

Sustainability plays a significant role in Bassett’s event strategy. Each production has eco-friendly practices woven into it, including reusing materials, sourcing locally, and repurposing designs.

“We are trying to be so thoughtful with how we manage that, whether it’s thinking through the lens of hospitality and how we are serving food to making sure we’re using local suppliers. Also, how to build our scenic and our sets and if they can be repurposed for other events,” said Bassett.

For instance, the set for The Future of Everything Festival was designed with a Brooklyn community garden in mind. “They were looking for a new pergola and we built the set so that it could be rebuilt in that garden,” she said.

Additionally, the company donates all reusable materials after events to benefit local communities.