Claire Hutchinson

Skills Navigator

Cornish through and through I have lived in Cornwall all my life. The great outdoors, walking, cycling, countryside, amazing food and drink – I love it all! My passion for Cornwall is reflected in my working life as through varied roles, across different industries, I have dedicated my career to supporting Cornwall’s economic development. Most recently I have been part of the Visit Cornwall team assisting tourism businesses while in the Superfast Cornwall Project I helped promote the availability of high-speed fibre broadband to businesses across Cornwall.

I’m somewhat a central cog for the team as I set businesses up with Connectors and can always be counted on to know who’s who in the business community. When at home I can usually be found in the garden, keeping it tidy and topping up the bird feeders!

Business idea that I’m secretly plotting: setting up a holiday property empire in a sunny country like Cyprus and retiring there eventually.

My perfect day involves: a lie-in, lots of good coffee then a relaxing beach walk and barbecue with friends, enjoying the sea air and sunshine.

Business hero: Alex Polizzi, she’s so warm and genuine but a real tough cookie when it comes to business and a stickler for detail.

Career highlight: being mystery shopped by Marketing Magazine about sharks on St Ives beaches and scoring 9 out of 10, then winning a Cornwall Council Award for doing so.

Local businesses that I salute: Cornish Blue Cheese; quite possibly the best blue cheese I’ve ever tasted, I even had it on my wedding cake!

Most people don’t know this but I’m a closet: birdwatcher.

I’m always best remembered for my: endless conversational ability.

My skills gap confession: for someone who loves to talk, I’m rubbish at speaking to groups or doing presentations.