Paul Smee

Paul became Director General of the Council of Mortgage Lenders on 1 August 2011. He was until April, Chief Executive of UK Payments, a post which he held for six years. He set up, and was the first Chief Executive of the UK Payments Council, which sets strategy for collaborative payments in the UK. He was very involved with the introduction of the Faster Payments Service in 2008, the first new payment system in the UK for 25 years; and in the production of the UK's National Payments Plan.

Before payments, Paul was the first Director General of the Association of IFAs, the representative body for the community of independent advisors which was formed in 1999. He also was instrumental in the formation of the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries.
During his earlier career, Paul has worked for the London Stock Exchange, the Association of British insurers and the Independent Television Commission. He started his working life at the Department of Trade and Industry.