Helen Da Costa

Pioneer
DISC Type : Dis

Head of Marketing at Great Western Railway (GWR)

Exeter, England, United Kingdom

Overview

Helen da Costa is the Head of Marketing at Great Western Railway (GWR), specializing in brand building and driving commercial growth with both B2B and B2C experience. A graduate of Aston University with a BSc in Marketing, colleagues describe her as passionate, ambitious, and collaborative, with a talent for linking marketing strategy to commercial results.

Driven by integrity, curiosity, and a growth mindset, Helen is focused on creating a lasting impact. She is a relationship-led and purpose-driven leader who is passionate about building inclusive teams and creating cultures that empower learning and development. Her interest in professional development is highlighted by courses in diversity and inclusion.

Her recent Famous Five campaign for GWR was shortlisted for two Travel Marketing Awards, including Best TV Advertising.

Personality Overview

Decisive But Friendly

Driven But Considerate

Friendly But Fast

If they are convinced, they can become very strong champions for your product  They combine a unique set of diverse traits where they are fast and friendly but can slow down to be thorough when needed They have the unique ability to win both love and respect from their team (or outsiders)

Topics They Care About

Brand Storytelling
Leads high-profile campaigns, like the award-shortlisted "Famous Five" series, to create engaging brand narratives and drive customer engagement for Great Western Railway.
Customer Centricity
Emphasizes creating unique and positive customer experiences, such as the launch of a new fine-dining menu on GWR's Pullman service to enhance the journey.
Promoting the South West
Focuses marketing efforts on showcasing the unique destinations and attractions of the South West and Wales, partnering with media like The Times to boost regional travel.

Media Appearances

Helen has no verified media appearances

Work History

9-2024
Head of Marketing at Great Western Railway (GWR)
6-2020 - 9-2024
Director of Enabling Services - Marketing, HR, IT at Coreus Group
3-2021 - 3-2024
Committee Member at Exeter Construction Group
5-2021 - 10-2021
Devon & Cornwall Comittee Member at Association of Women in Property
5-2017 - 6-2020
Head Of Marketing at Flybe

Education

BSc Marketing from Aston University

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 9 Location : Exeter, England, United Kingdom Job Level : Mid-senior Designation : Head of Marketing at Great Western Railway (GWR)
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Insights For Selling To Helen

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Mostly stick to your standard pitch and qualifying script, but add some stories or anecdotes to it
  • Use phrases like ‘your decision will’, ‘you will impact’ etc.
  • Ask them for a lunch or coffee once some rapport has been established

DONT's

  • Don't lean very heavily into providing too much information, sharing whitepapers etc.
  • Avoid focusing only on the product or its ROI, keep building trust subtly
  • Don’t be too verbose or overly friendly; a little bit, however, is fine

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Helen is

  • Nothing less than a strong combination of proof of results, relationship and high levels of professionalism is effective with them.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Helen

  • They can say no while staying friendly, but can also be pursuaded to reconsider

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Helen move?

  • They are generally fast movers and can take quick decisions
  • Can Helen take some risk or not?

  • They have high risk-appetite but can get ahead of themselves once in a while. Observe carefully

You And Helen

Personality Compatibility


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