Helen Sykes was educated at Bristol University and the Inns of Court School of Law in London. After qualifying as a barrister she began a career in arts administration on the staff of English National Opera, where she worked for three years.
She established Helen Sykes Artists' Management in 1986. Since 1991 this agency has specialised in the management of professional concert and opera singers and, more recently, conductors. From its base in London, Helen Sykes Artists' Management represents a list of fine artists at international level.
Helen Sykes joined the British Association of Concert Agents (BACA) in 1988 and served on its Executive Committee for nine years from 1991. During that time BACA was enlarged to form the International Artist Managers Association (IAMA), now a World-wide Association for Artist Managers. From 1996 - 1999 she served as IAMA's Deputy Chairman.
She has also served as a regular jury member of several international singing competitions, including the Mondial Chinese Vocalist Competition in Taipei, the Second China International Competition for Singers in Beijing, the G Martinelli/A Pertile International Singing Competition in Montagnana, Italy, and the International Competition for Opera Singers in Rieti, Italy.