He works with a wide variety of clients on engagement and business performance and speaks on the international speaker circuit. He is regularly enlisted to share the Asda transformation story, as well as to talk on HR strategy and delivery as part of organisational transformation.
He also speaks about leadership in tough times, performance management and ‘legendary customer service,’ and great execution through people. Smith is also a highly in-demand mentor of CEOs, HRDs and other executives.
As chair of the Institute for Employment Studies – a not-for-profit independent centre for research and evidence-based consultancy in employment, labour market and human resource policy and practice – Smith oversees the board of trustees in undertaking their role on: governance, contributing to the development of the Institute's strategy, supporting and monitoring the implementation of the strategy, and approving the annual budget and business plan.
At Asda, where he worked from 1994 to 2009, Smith led the transformation of the supermarket from a bankrupt broken business to the highly successful retailer it is today. As a result of his and his team’s work Asda achieved the status of being the number one Best Place to Work in the UK Sunday Times Survey – an accolade never achieved by such a large business before or since.
