Helen Bonser-Wilton
Photo by: Rob Bonser-Wilton
BTA Board member
Helen Bonser-Wilton was appointed as a member of the VisitEngland Advisory Board in September 2025.
Helen has been Chief Executive of Leeds Castle Foundation since 2021. The Foundation looks after exceptional built and natural heritage assets, with a highly diversified business that welcomes over 550,000 day visitors and 100 Hospitality Functions annually, as well as thousands of overnight guests to the extensive accommodation portfolio.
Helen is also a Director of Visit Kent and Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA).
Between 2015-21, Helen was Chief Executive of the Mary Rose in Portsmouth, King Henry VIII’s flagship, raised from the bottom of the Solent with 19,000 Tudor artefacts. Helen oversaw the completion of the award winning, purpose-built Museum for this Tudor treasure and guided the Trust safely through the COVID pandemic.
From 2004-2015, Helen worked in a variety of senior roles at the National Trust, leading Marketing and Commercial in Devon & Cornwall, Programme Director for the £18m Tyntesfield Project in Bristol, National Change Programme Director and Operations Director in the South West.
After qualifying as an Interpreter/Translator in German and Spanish, Helen started her career in advertising, before becoming Group Brand Manager for Akzo Nobel (Crown Paint) and Bernstein Kitchens.
