Gordon Smith

Gordon is the leader of Illuminas Global’s New York practice, and head of its US Financial Services practice. He has throughout his career striven to create insight-driven partnerships with clients, the list of which includes many of the world’s largest blue chip brands.

Prior to joining Illuminas, Gordon worked for a number of strategic management and research consultancies, starting at a ‘boutique’ house in Scotland, working with the EU in PHARE programs for economic development in Eastern Europe, and the Local and National Enterprise companies (LECs and Scottish Enterprise) on inward investment and PPP / PFI related engagements. Such engagements typically spanned the spectrum of activities from start-up, from primary feasibility and commercial due diligence analyses, through to strategic business and marketing consultancy, and in some cases prepping the business case and associated material for disposals.

Since then, Gordon has worked almost exclusively within research and consultancy organizations in London and most recently the US, primarily as a financial and investment services specialist. His focus is consultative support for strategic and tactical product and service development and positioning, and is a trusted partner for, inter alia, BlackRock, iShares, RBS Group, and State Street Global Advisors.

Gordon works extensively in a diverse range of other verticals, variously in communications and digital media, food technology and nutrition, managing global relationships with Kraft and Tate & Lyle.

Gordon has BSc (Chemistry) and MSc degrees from St Andrews University and Heriot-Watt University.