After studying agriculture and obtaining a PhD in biochemistry, Claire Skentelbery worked in science marketing and cluster development. She started in the management of the biotechnology cluster in Cambridge (UK) and co-founded the Council of European BioRegions (CBER), a network of clusters.  In 2009, she moved to Brussels, where she also worked for the European Biotechnology Network from 2012-17, establishing collaborations across sectors, organizations and countries to advance the provision of biotechnology to consumers and for the benefit of the market in Europe. In January 2017 she joined the Nanotechnology Industries Association NIA as Director General.