Our Directors

The Cornish Mutual Board of Directors is currently made up of the following people:

Chairman: Gerald Blewett

Gerald Blewett has long been involved in all aspects of the agricultural sector in the South West; most recently having farmed in a family partnership. He has also held directorships of both Gelly Pigs Ltd and Wadebridge Abattoir. Gerald has been a Member of the Board since 2002, having been appointed Deputy Chairman in April 2006 and subsequently Chairman in 2007. He regularly plays a significant part in the rural community and is very involved in fund raising for local charities. Gerald, who is also Chair of the Trustees for Cornish Mutual’s pension fund, was formerly a Parish Councillor and School Governor for 14 years.

Deputy Chairman: Chris Down

Chris Down was appointed Deputy Chairman in April 2007, having been a Board member since November 2005. He is a pig and arable farmer in the Budleigh area who also runs a contracting business from Crealy Park at Clyst St. Mary. The Finance Director at Maximum Fun Ltd, the company that operates both Cornwall and Devon's Crealy Great Adventure Parks at Tredinnick, Near Wadebridge and Clyst St. Mary, Near Exeter. He has wide experience of the farming and rural community in the South West as well as understanding the relevant business issues that we all face today.

Roger Brown

Born and bred in Cornwall, Roger Brown has had an extensive career spanning more than forty years in banking, particularly within the rural and farming community across the South West. Roger, who was appointed to the Board in June 2000, was a bank Branch Manager, combined with the role of an Agricultural and Commercial Manager covering part of West Devon and North Cornwall. At Cornish Mutual, he has served as Chairman of the Underwriting, Claims and Pricing Committee, and is currently a member of the Risk and Audit Committee and Investment Committee. Roger is very active in the local community his charity work includes Cancer Research and Past Tablers.

Jerry Davison

Having held a number of Managing Director and Financial Director positions, both in the UK and abroad, Jerry Davison brings extensive commercial, operational and IT experience and knowledge to the Cornish Mutual Board. He was appointed in May 2007 as Non-Executive Director. A Chartered Accountant with a law degree he currently runs his own consultancy near Exeter. He is the President of the South West Society of Chartered Accountants, knows the region very well and holds a number of other non-executive board positions with companies across the South West. Jerry maintains a keen interest in all agricultural and rural issues affecting the West Country.

Jilly Greed

Farming and rural issues are at the heart of Jilly Greed’s life in the South West – she is a fourth generation beef and arable producer, farming a 500 acre family farm in Devon. She is a passionate and active campaigner for a sustainable beef industry in the region, as well as being Vice Chair of the NBA South West, an NFU member and sitting on the CLA Devon committee. Jilly, who joined the Cornish Mutual Board in November 2005, has extensive business knowledge and experience of rural communities. Her Exeter-based company is also directly involved in the marketing and promotion of local producers and a range of farming and rural businesses.

Michael Grigg

Michael Grigg’s family has been involved in farming in Cornwall for many generations and Michael, himself, has been a Member of the Cornish Mutual Board since July 1992. He is an experienced beef, sheep and arable producer and runs a mixed farm with more than 800 acres in the Duchy. At the same time as being a farmer, with his roots firmly in the local community, Michael runs a well respected agricultural merchant and country store on the outskirts of St Austell. He has extensive knowledge of the issues which are currently facing both the rural and farming community in the South West.

Leslie Baker

Leslie Baker has spent his entire working life in Cornwall as an Insurance Broker and comes from a farming family. With over 45 years wide-ranging experience of the insurance industry under his belt, Leslie, who lives in St Austell, was co-opted to the Cornish Mutual Board in November 2008. He retired in 2007 having been a Partner in the Newquay-based business Walmsley Baker and Co and was latterly employed by the Towergate Group. Leslie has been a Cornish Mutual Member for a number of years and has a sound knowledge of issues affecting the rural community, as well as being past President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Truro.

Ian Pawley

As a solicitor, Ian Pawley has lived and worked in Cornwall for all his professional life. He understands the agricultural sector particularly well having dealt with many issues around farming and inheritance tax. Ian, a former managing partner of regional legal firm Stephens Scown, joined the Cornish Mutual Board in 2009 and brings with him an extensive knowledge of modern legal and business requirements including corporate governance. He takes an active interest in the rural and agricultural community in the South West. Ian also holds a number of other non-executive director and trustee positions in Cornwall, as well as being involved in local charity work and the St Austell Rotary Club.

Finance Director: Peter Beaumont

Peter Beaumont has a wealth of experience in the IT and financial services industries including insurance and banking. Peter took up the role of Finance Director with Cornish Mutual in January 2009, having relocated with his family to Cornwall. He joined the company from corporate finance specialists Close Asset Finance Ltd where he was Group Financial Controller. Peter has held various director level appointments covering both finance and operations. Having trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant within public practice, Peter has spent his career within commerce. With a track record of introducing change, he is committed to further developing and delivering a first-class service to all Cornish Mutual Members.

Managing Director: Alan Goddard

Alan Goddard has been with Cornish Mutual for the last eight years, having joined the company as Deputy General Manager in December 2001. Alan was appointed Managing Director in August 2004 and became a Member of the Board. Alan’s experience of the financial and insurance sectors is second to none, having worked in the industry for most of his adult life. Alan, a Chartered Insurer, is also a Board Member of the Association of Financial Mutuals and has previously worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers and The Royal Insurance Group. He is passionate about the rural community in the South West and sits on the Staff Management Committee of Cornwall Young Farmers Clubs (CYFC).