As part of our Life at Landsec series, we’re showcasing the people behind our places. Sharing honest perspectives on career pathways, working in real estate, and what it’s really like to build a long-term future with us while playing a crucial part in the impact we have in communities and regions across the UK. Helen Morgan, Centre Director at St David’s in Cardiff, is one of those people.

An evolving career in real estate

Helen has spent nearly 25 years with Landsec, building what she describes as an evolving rather than linear career. Today, she leads St David’s shopping centre, our 1.6 million sq ft retail destination at the heart of the Welsh capital.

Though, her path into the world of real estate was never a rite of passage. “I was actually the first one in my family to go to university”, she explains. “I was very good at English, I really liked reading, and the suggestion from my careers advisor was to consider being a librarian… To which I laughed and said, ‘I think I'll be shushing myself the entire time!’”.

After completing A-levels and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, Helen turned to her University careers service for guidance, and found herself persistently matched to marketing roles (to her surprise, given her specialism in HR and Japanese Management during her degree). Ironically, Helen admits she “didn’t actually enjoy marketing as part of the degree,” but decided to give it a chance anyway, taking a placement with a small, family run business to explore whether it might suit her.

That early decision proved formative. Beyond technical skills, Helen built confidence and professionalism, learning “how to act and speak up in a business meeting” and how important relationships and curiosity are in the workplace.

When choosing her first role following education, Helen again prioritised development over convention. She turned down a higher paid London role in favour of a Cardiff based marketing agency, persuaded by a managing director who promised to “teach everything (Helen) needed to know” and offered the chance to shadow him at pitches and events. In hindsight, she recognises this as a defining moment, realising she would gain more from this early, hands-on exposure than a more uniform graduate scheme.

From marketing into leadership at Landsec

When Helen met Landsec while studying for her Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) qualifications, she was tasked with researching Landsec as part of a project. And when a marketing executive role opened up at St David’s, the connection felt instinctive. “I thought, oh, I know who Landsec are”, she remembered. “Obviously, growing up with St David’s it was the place where I went Christmas shopping, it's where you came to get your school  shoes”. Helen applied for the role successfully, and continued her path in marketing with Landsec for 15 years.

“I wasn't just based at St. David's during this time” Helen explained. “I had the privilege of working on the launch of the St David's development, and then soon after I moved into a regional role and worked across a variety of shopping centres across the wider portfolio including Buchanan Galleries, Gunwharf Quays, and Westgate”.

From local marketing to regional, and later into retail operations and management. Throughout, Helen continued to focus on her progression through continuing her CIM qualification, and taking secondments and opportunities to shadow colleagues. “Landsec invested in my personal development,” she reflects, noting how that support helped build both confidence and capability. “I ended up doing the Revo Diploma in Retail, Leisure and Place Management, which Landsec supported me with. And that was a great experience to get some knowledge in areas of the operation that I wouldn't really have had exposure to”.

Shaping retail and change in Cardiff

Helen is honest about doubting whether becoming a centre director was realistic. “I knew I was capable,” she says, “but I didn’t really see people like me in that role.” Real estate, particularly at senior levels, had long been male dominated, and St David’s is a significant centre to take on as a first directorship. What made the difference was having line managers and colleagues who saw her potential and supported her growth.

Helen became centre director of St David’s in 2022,  and since then, she’s not only a driving force in the growing success of Wales’ go-to retail destination,  but a symbol of visible change across real estate. One of her most memorable moments arose from the launch of the new St David’s development in 2009. “As soon as the doors opened, it became their space,” she recalls, a reminder that placemaking is ultimately about the community and the people within it.

Collaboration sits at the core of Helen’s leadership, as does enthusiasm for wanting to see more women in leadership roles. She resonates most with one part of our Landsec DNA; “we did is better than I did,” recognising that success comes from teams across the business working together towards shared, meaningful goals. That mindset extends to how she supports her team as a working parent, where trust and flexibility are central. Having seen how much the industry has evolved, she is passionate about creating an environment where people don’t feel they have to choose between ambition and personal life.

And Helen’s favourite highlight of Landsec benefits? My Day, an extra day off to use however you choose. “I’ve always booked my birthday off,” she said. “Having My Day feels like a real treat. It’s the business recognising that it’s your day, and that you shouldn’t feel guilty for taking time for yourself.”

As someone who has experienced more aspects of the real estate sector than most, Helen is intent on challenging outdated perceptions. “People think real estate is just about buying and selling property, but there’s a whole machine behind it,” Helen explains. “There are so many people focused roles, from placemaking and operations to customer experience and community engagement, and all of them are critical if we’re going to create places that really work.”