Derek Smith

Derek Smith serves as Ancestry’s Chief Legal Officer, bringing more than 20 years of experience helping technology companies grow and scale effectively. His deep expertise, strong leadership and unique perspective has enabled him to build and lead global, diverse legal teams across the full spectrum of legal functions—including corporate, commercial, product, privacy, regulatory, compliance, employment, and litigation.

Prior to joining Ancestry, Derek served as General Counsel at Sonar, where he guided the company through multiple strategic acquisitions and supported the successful launch of new AI-driven products. Previously, he was General Counsel at Bird, overseeing legal operations and corporate governance while serving as a key advisor to the board during the company's rapid international expansion. He has also held senior legal roles at high-growth companies including Airbnb and Palantir.

Derek earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and his J.D. from Yale Law School.