Women in Tanks: Julie Helms

CEO Julie Helms on growth, leadership, and the tank storage sector ‘I have always been driven by a need to understand how things work,’ says Discus CEO, Julie Helms. ‘My path has really been shaped by curiosity, understanding how systems operate, how people operate, and how to bring those together.’ Studying biology and psychology gave Helms the foundation to understand science, people, relationships and organisations more fundamentally. ‘That combination has guided my career,’ she says. ‘It led me to build business across five continents, step into leadership roles, and ultimately take on the responsibility of leading DISCUS as CEO.’ Helms started her career in upstream oil and gas, but quickly recognised that midstream offered a stronger path for both growth and sustainability. ‘Midstream was where I saw the most momentum and room for growth,’ she says. What followed was a deliberate focus on the parts of the industry where value could be created. ‘That focus ultimately led me to focus on systems that push sustainability forward. When you find the intersection where both your curiosity and your strengths are engaged, that is when work becomes very...