National Assembly for Wales

Chief Executive and Clerk to the Assembly

Claire Clancy

Claire took up post as Chief Executive and Clerk of the National Assembly in February 2007. The post was created to reflect the growing powers of the Assembly following the Government of Wales Act 2006. From May 2007, the Chief Executive and Clerk will lead an organisation independent of the Welsh Assembly Government. She is responsible for ensuring that the Assembly is provided with the property, staff and services that it requires and to help develop an Assembly that inspires confidence and has a reputation within Wales and beyond for accessible and efficient democracy.

Claire has spent many years working within public sector organisations with a strong delivery culture, with a clear focus on serving customers. Before she joined the Assembly Commission, she was Chief Executive of Companies House and Registrar of Companies, with a £70m turnover and 1,200 employees. Earlier she was Director of Corporate Services at the Patent Office. In the late 1990s, she spent two years on the island of St Helena where her husband, Mike, was Chief Secretary and is now Governor. She joined the civil service in 1977 and has worked in the Manpower Services Commission, the Department of Employment, the Government Office for the South West and was Chief Executive of Powys Training and Enterprise Council. She has a degree in psychology from the Open University and owns a farm near Abergavenny where she has two gorgeous horses.

Contact Claire Clancy