Lauren Smith

I’m a Lead UX Designer with experience designing and delivering inclusive digital experiences for clients and colleagues across asset management, wealth, and retail.

I enjoy collaborating across functions and teams to solve complex problems and strike a balance between personal relationships and technology to meet client needs.

After graduating with a First Class Honours in MA International Business with Marketing I joined M&G’s Technology graduate scheme, interested in the role technology could play to reduce the wealth advice gap and improve client outcomes across the financial services industry. I rolled off the scheme early to permanently join the Distribution project I had been supporting, becoming UX Lead for a £20m three-year strategic transformation project which aimed to generate downstream client benefits from improving our in-house colleague experience.

I moved into Aegon as a Senior UX Designer, a role which focused on acting as a consultant for our strategic delivery partner ensuring digital products designed and released met accessibility, branding and usability expectations across all audience types. Through my work encourage knowledge sharing within our team and co-leading digital accessibility advocacy initiatives, I stepped up to become a Lead UX Designer in 2023. This role alongside my role on the Women in Banking and Finance Future Leaders Shadow Board has enabled me to champion inclusivity across teams and organisations – opportunities I’ve relished and look forward to building upon within my career.