Chris Smerdon

Chris Smerdon currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Updraft, overseeing Underwriting, Customer Service, Complaints Collections & Recoveries, Retention, and Automation since February 2024. Previously, Chris held the position of Head of Collections & Recoveries at Updraft, focusing on establishing a top-tier collections and recoveries department. In prior roles at Chetwood Financial Limited, Chris was the Director of Collections & Recoveries, Fraud and Operations Analytics, managing policies and strategies. As Unsecured Credit Risk Director for Collections and Recoveries at Barclays, Chris revamped the collections strategy in response to a disappointing audit and led digital advancements during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 2008 and 2018, Chris worked at MBNA, progressing through multiple roles, including Head of Collections & Recoveries, and significantly enhancing operational performance and employee engagement. Chris holds a Master’s Degree in Financial Mathematics and Computation and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Leicester.