Cory Hughes

Cory is an award-winning strategic design leader and educator. As Director of Strategic Design at Perago, she focuses on solving big-picture problems in public services, education, and climate change to improve the wellbeing of future generations. Her recent design for planet work includes leading a discovery to explore how digital technology can support Wales’s net zero climate aims, a Digital Leaders masterclass on ‘Digital Sustainability and Tech Net Zero,’ and a framework to support sustainable decision-making in the design of new and existing public services.

Cory has a decade of leadership experience in digital design and technology companies across the UK, Greater China, and Australia. In addition to designing digital transformation programmes across these regions, Cory championed a ‘more than user-centred’ approach to experience strategy and behaviour change for sustainable development and third sector organisations, including Historic Environment Scotland, Arup, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and the Marine Stewardship Council.

Cory is a member of Chapter Zero, a forum of non-executive directors leading on climate action from the boardroom, and a director at Mental Health Swims, a lived-experience-led social enterprise championing peer support models in the design of mental health services. Outside work, you’ll find her exploring the watery parts of our world; from co-founding a surfing magazine to swimming and sea kayaking at home in Gower, Wales.