Claire Harvey has built a career on a simple but often misunderstood truth. At the highest levels of leadership, success is rarely the result of individual effort alone. It is shaped by strong partnerships, sound judgment, and the ability to bring clarity to complexity.
Across more than 25 years supporting C suite, board level, and entrepreneurial leaders, Claire has demonstrated that the Executive Assistant role, when practiced at its highest level, is not administrative. It is strategic. “The CEO runs the business. The EA manages the CEO.”
For Claire, this is not a phrase for effect. It is a reflection of responsibility, trust, and professional accountability.
Early Life and Education
Born in Devon, England, Claire was educated in Plymouth, where she attended school, college, and university. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Training, an academic foundation that shaped her understanding of how people learn, develop, and perform within structured environments.
While her degree focused on education, it also sparked a deeper curiosity about communication, influence, and organizational dynamics. These themes would later become central to her professional philosophy.
Early Career Foundations
Claire’s first professional role was with an organization called PROSPER, where she managed administration for the Investors in People program. The position paid £8,000 per year, but it provided invaluable exposure to leadership decision making and organizational behavior.
Working closely with senior stakeholders, Claire observed how priorities, communication, and operational discipline directly influenced outcomes. She learned early that effective leadership is not only about vision, but about execution supported by clarity and structure. This experience formed the foundation of her belief that influence often operates quietly, through awareness and judgment rather than authority.
Professional Growth and Executive Support
As her career progressed, Claire moved into increasingly senior and complex roles, supporting leaders across corporate and SME environments. Her work required navigating global operations, high pressure decision making, and sensitive stakeholder relationships with discretion and composure.
One of the most significant chapters of her career was her tenure at The Bicester Collection, where she supported the Global Senior Marketing Director for nearly six years. Operating in a remote capacity while her executive traveled extensively, Claire managed complex global diaries, international travel, board level communication, and high profile events.
In addition to her core responsibilities, she led internal EA focus groups aimed at improving operational efficiency and internal processes. These initiatives reflected her long term approach to impact and her commitment to raising standards within the profession.
Earlier in her career, Claire supported the COO and senior IT leadership team at L and G Investment Management. Working in a fast paced, highly regulated environment further sharpened her commercial awareness and reinforced the importance of trust, discretion, and sound judgment.
Leadership Style and Professional Reputation
Throughout her career, Claire has been recognized for her ability to anticipate needs, manage complexity, and operate as a true strategic partner. A senior executive once described her as a second brain, highlighting her capacity to understand priorities, decision making styles, and leadership pressures at a deep level.
“Claire was like my second brain. She knew exactly where I needed to be, what to prioritize, and how to support me so I could perform at my best.” Her professionalism, warmth, and emotional intelligence have consistently earned the trust of boards, investors, and senior stakeholders. For Claire, these relationships reaffirmed a belief she had long held. When executed with intent, the Executive Assistant role is a leadership role.
Founding The Global Executive Assistant Hub
After more than two decades in the profession, Claire identified a recurring challenge. Many highly capable Executive Assistants were working harder rather than more strategically, often because they had never been taught how to operate with authority and intention.
To address this gap, she founded The Global Executive Assistant Hub, an international mentoring, training, and learning platform designed to elevate the modern Assistant. The Hub focuses on shared knowledge, practical development, and strategic thinking, with the aim of raising professional standards globally.
Claire’s training emphasizes real world skills that drive impact. These include strategic calendar ownership, executive communication, stakeholder management, boundary setting, emotional intelligence, and crisis resilience. Her approach is practical, grounded, and rooted in lived experience.
Thought Leadership and Industry Voice
Alongside her professional work, Claire has become a respected voice within the global EA community through her writing and engagement on LinkedIn. Her content challenges outdated perceptions of the role and encourages Assistants to think beyond tasks and titles.
“More hours won’t get you trusted. Better judgment will.” Her insights resonate because they reflect real scenarios faced by professionals at the highest levels. She speaks candidly about decision framing, professional boundaries, and aligning priorities with business objectives.
Perspective and Advice
Claire remains a passionate advocate for continuous development. Her advice to the next generation, including Gen Z professionals entering the workforce, is consistent and direct. Seek out a mentor and never stop learning. Leadership begins with mindset, not position.
Two personal quotes continue to guide her outlook and approach to work. “The CEO runs the business. The EA manages the CEO.” And a reminder of resilience that shapes how she approaches challenge. “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”
Editorial Note
Claire Harvey’s career reflects the quiet strength of strategic partnership. Through clarity, judgment, and professional discipline, she has helped leaders perform at their highest level while redefining how the Executive Assistant role is understood and valued.
Her work continues to influence a global community of professionals who are ready to lead with confidence, think strategically, and elevate the role from exactly where they are.
