Our history
Serving over 1,200 clients across corporates, institutions, and trade bodies, Helio Intelligence delivers real-time political monitoring, analysis, and intelligence, alongside strategic counsel. It is the parent company of DeHavilland, the leading political monitoring specialist, and Forefront, the intelligence-led insight service.
DeHavilland is the largest provider in Europe, specialising in EU and UK politics. Through strategic acquisitions, DeHavilland has integrated OPP (One Policy Place) and Dods EU in Brussels, and NewsDirect in the UK. DeHavilland also provides monitoring at a national level in France and Germany, and for the devolved nations Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Forefront is a specialist team of experts drawn from the highest levels of politics. They have advised heads of government, ministers, and key decision-makers across Europe. Serving both public affairs and markets clients, the team covers macro UK and EU politics as well as the thematic sectors of energy, sustainability, emerging technology, and digital assets.
The group’s Helio platform provides human-led in-house expertise enabled by real-time machine intelligence. Continually updated, the Helio platform uniquely combines AI assistance for speed and human expertise for accuracy. We have implemented the latest technologies as well as new AI tooling to add value with new products, features, and functionalities that will help the industry operate even more effectively.
Our history
We became Helio Intelligence in 2025, but our group’s story goes much further back.
DeHavilland is founded and quickly becomes one of the leading providers of political monitoring in the UK and EU.
Bridgepoint Group acquires DeHavilland with immediate investment to accelerate its growth.
Andrew Himsley appointed CEO of DeHavilland.
The company expands with the acquisition of Forefront, the intelligence-led insight service for public affairs and markets clients.
Bowmark Capital invests in the group, creating a partnership with Bridgepoint and opening up additional investment for growth.
The group acquires One Policy Place (OPP), the leading policy monitoring platform in Brussels. OPP is integrated into DeHavilland EU.
The group acquires NewsDirect, the devolved nations specialist, with local expertise in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The service becomes DeHavilland Scotland, DeHavilland Cymru and DeHavilland Northern Ireland.
The group is renamed Helio Intelligence, bringing our brands together under one identity
Helio Intelligence acquires Dods EU, confirming its position as the market-leader in the EU and UK. The group serves over 1,000 clients for the first time.
The most technologically advanced political intelligence platform in the market is launched in beta to DeHavilland’s UK clients. The Helio platform combines the latest Artificial Intelligence technologies with unrivalled in-house expertise.