For Terry Hutchinson and Quantum Sails, there is a lot of shared history. Fifteen of Hutchinson's eighteen world championship titles have been won with Quantum sails, and from 2014 to 2019, he was part of the Quantum team himself. Now, one of the most accomplished sailors in the sport is returning to Quantum in a new capacity, joining the company as President of Business Development.
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Based at Quantum's Annapolis loft but traveling and competing around the world, Hutchinson will bring together several areas that have defined his career: grand prix racing, product development, building successful teams, and developing the people who will shape the sport's future.
"Quantum has been an important part of my career, and I'm excited to be coming back in a role where I can contribute both on and off the water," said Hutchinson. "I've always respected the way this team approaches performance; constantly looking for the next gain and never being satisfied with where we are today. I'm looking forward to working alongside designers, sailmakers, and sailors across Quantum to keep pushing our products and our programs forward at the highest levels of the sport."
An eighteen-time world champion across six different classes and a two-time Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, Hutchinson has spent decades competing at the sharp end of the sport. That experience will remain central to his new role. He will lead Quantum's presence in grand prix sailing around the world and serve as the definitive voice of Quantum in that arena, while continuing to compete at the highest levels himself.
But what happens off the racecourse will be equally important. Hutchinson will work directly with Quantum's sail design and production teams, bringing the perspective of sailors, owners, and grand prix programs into conversations about how sails are designed, built, and continually improved. It is an approach rooted in the same pursuit of incremental gains that has defined much of his racing career.
"I have known Terry for many years, and I worked alongside him at Quantum and in racing projects, so I have seen up close how he approaches everything he undertakes," said Andrew Scott, President of Quantum Sails. "He is passionate, and he is a leader, but he is also relentlessly focused on finding the small gains that add up, on the water and off it. In this role he will be our voice in grand prix sailing, and he will be in the room with our designers and our production team pushing on products and process."
That influence will extend beyond grand prix programs and product development. A significant part of Hutchinson's role will be focused on people: mentoring the next generation of sailors, sailmakers, and marine industry professionals through Quantum's loft network and coaching and training programs.
"One of the things I'm most excited about is the opportunity to invest in people and the teams that Quantum supports," says Hutchinson. "Continuing onboard with Pieter Hereema's No Way Back in the TP 52 Super series class keeps me and Quantum at the pinnacle of grand prix racing. Allowing for the lessons learned to trickle up or down to the opportunity on that day. There is so much talent across Quantum's loft network and throughout our sport, helping to create opportunities for the next generation of sailors, sailmakers, and industry professionals, and this is incredibly important to me. Whether it's competing at the grand prix level, working with a team in one of our lofts, or helping a young sailor take the next step, it all connects. If we can share what we've learned and help more people succeed in the sport, that's a big win."
For Scott, that combination of active competition, product development, and mentorship is precisely what makes Hutchinson's return significant. "He will also be helping bring along the next generation of sailors and sailmakers, which matters to him and to the future of our sport," Scott said. "And Terry will keep competing at the highest levels, which is exactly where we want him. It is a rare and special combination."
Hutchinson's return also comes as Quantum continues to expand its global presence within the North Technology Group family of brands.
"Terry Hutchinson is one of the best sailors in the world, and he is also deeply experienced in collaborating with boat owners, project managers, and professionals across the sport," said Sam Watson, Chief Executive Officer of North Technology Group. "Quantum is an important part of the NTG family of brands, and we expect Quantum to keep growing worldwide while delivering the innovation and customer support the brand is known for. Terry's experience, relationships, and energy will strengthen that work. Terry Hutchinson and Quantum are a perfect fit."
Hutchinson will also continue his association with American Magic and will serve as President of the American Magic Foundation, as that organization continues to develop American sailing talent through youth clinics, Olympic pathways, and advanced training infrastructure.
It's a combination of roles that keeps Hutchinson connected to many levels of the sport, from the world's most competitive race programs to sailors and sailmakers just beginning to build their careers.
For Quantum, bringing him back is about connecting those worlds: applying what is learned at the highest levels of racing across the company, while continuing to invest in the people who will move sailing forward.