Stephen Smith

Executive Director, Employer Engagement Regions: London, East of England, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, South West, West Midlands, South East stephen.smith@nsafs.co.uk Tel: 07525 990 479

Stephen’s career in financial services has put skills development at the forefront of the businesses and employees he has managed.

Amongst various deliveries, Stephen initially established a participative Academy Regional Employers’ Board in the South-East reflecting the various sub sectors of financial services, including large and small employers; ensured the pilot delivery of the Academy’s blended learning Leadership and Management and Professional Manager Development programmes for which there is increasing demand; helped develop and pioneer the Academy’s work-based assessment for RDR Experience Counts; and with various employers encouraged their participation in Apprenticeship programmes; as well as developing some of the Academy’s initial web learning offers.

Stephen joined the Skills Academy in 2008 as Regional Director South East, having previously been Regional Manager South with the Financial Services Skills Council for almost four years. Prior to this, he was Sales and Training Director at Moorgate House (a major independent financial advisory firm) from 1998, and set up Allied Irish Banks’ independent advice company from 1990. Before that, he worked in various roles with Prudential, National Mutual Life and Canada Life.

In 2011 Stephen was appointed Executive Director and is enthusiastic for employers to participate in both the Academy and its services and products, not least because the Academy is employer-led, being the only organisation licensed by Government to use the brand of the NSA to deliver solutions to the financial services sector.

Stephen has an Honours degree in Politics from the University of Warwick.