Helen van Orton is the founder of Directorly, keynote speaker, and co-author of the White Paper on the AI-Enabled Board (2026). She works with boards and executive teams across New Zealand and internationally to build AI fluency and strengthen governance capability, including through her flagship programme, The AI-Empowered Leader. She leads BoardPro's AI Masterclass, cohosts their AI webinar series, has been a guest on IoD and Govn365 podcasts and featured in Boardrooom magazine. A practicing director of Co-operative Bank, Co-operative Life, and Centrix Group, her executive career spans Vodafone, Lotto NZ, Air New Zealand, Westpac, and American Express. Helen is a graduate of the IoD's Advanced Director Programme and a mentor on the Te Ara Tāwhaki governance programme. She is a member of the BoardOutlook Global Directors Council.