Gordon Wilson joins Smart as new Chair

The move further enhances initiatives for growth, profitability and global expansion

Smart, the London-headquartered fintech transforming the global retirement savings market, is pleased to announce the appointment of Gordon Wilson as the company’s new Chair of the Board, succeeding Ruston Smith. Gordon brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in the technology and pensions sectors, further strengthening Smart’s leadership team as the company continues its global expansion.

Gordon’s distinguished career spans over three decades, during which he has held key leadership positions and driven significant growth in various organisations, including both technology and pensions businesses. Gordon was the CEO of Advanced for over eight years and recently stepped down to start his non-executive career. Advanced is a business focused on digital transformation, impacting 40 million people every day. Gordon is also a member of the Board of TechUK, and chairs three other tech businesses: Zenitech, Imagesound and The Polaris Group. During his executive career, he notably led the management team at Aquila Heywood, a leading pension software provider, achieving substantial growth.

Gordon succeeds Ruston Smith, who has completed two successful terms as Independent Non-Executive Director and Chair of Smart, playing an instrumental role in the company’s growth from a startup to a globally-recognised retirement technology provider. Under Ruston’s leadership, Smart has won dozens of awards, established its services across multiple regions worldwide and attracted J.P. Morgan, Fidelity International Strategic Ventures, Chrysalis Investments, Natixis Investment Managers, Barclays and Aquiline Capital Partners as investors. Although stepping down from the Board of Smart, Ruston will remain a senior advisor to the EMEA business, focusing on growth in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Andrew Evans, CEO of Smart, said:

“Ruston has been a cornerstone of Smart’s success, guiding us through critical phases of growth and helping us become a leader in the pensions industry. We are immensely grateful for his dedication, his relentless focus on the customer and his strong governance through our key phases of growth. We look forward to his continued support as an adviser, further moving us forward both in the UK and EMEA.”

“We now warmly welcome Gordon Wilson as our new Chair. Gordon’s extensive experience and leadership in both technology and pensions will be invaluable as we embark on the next chapter of our journey. We’re approaching 1.5 million savers in the UK alone, we’re a part of the digital transformation of the retirement savings system in the Middle East, Asia, and beyond, working with governments and financial services partners. Gordon’s experience taking tech businesses up to impacting 40 million lives daily is exactly what we need to enable us to positively impact many more employers and savers across the globe.”

Ruston Smith, outgoing Chair of Smart, said:

“After two terms and at this phase of the business’ journey, it feels a very positive time to be handing over leadership for the next phase of Smart’s growth. I’ve been delighted by the hard work of the team and the extensive growth that’s been delivered, creating a healthy, thriving and intelligently diversified international business. I am particularly proud that more than 1.4 million UK savers now benefit from Smart’s work, and that we’ve been able to grow similarly across the world, as a top five managed account provider in the US, with activity in the EU, Middle East and Asia beyond. I wish the Board and colleagues every success for the future.”

Gordon Wilson, incoming Chair of Smart, said:

“I am excited to join Smart at such a pivotal time in its growth trajectory. The company’s innovative approach to retirement technology and its impressive global footprint make it a standout player in the industry. Retirement savings is an industry going through a wave of transformation across the world. Smart’s technology is now well proven in multiple markets, and set to be a key enabler of digital transformation in more. I look forward to working with Andrew, the Board, and the entire Smart team to build on the solid foundation laid by Ruston and to drive the company’s continued success.”

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