Meet the chief distribution officer David Smith

Q. What drew you to this company, and what keeps you motivated here?

What attracted me to Liberty is the warmth and strength of the positive culture. It’s rare to find a business with a near 30-year history that has stayed true to its values, while still pushing itself to grow and evolve.

The financial strength and commercial discipline built over that time gives us the confidence to invest in people, ideas, and new capabilities. There is a real belief in backing talent and giving people the room to grow. The combination of stability and ambition keeps me motivated, and it is rewarding to help shape Liberty’s growth and the impact we continue to have in the market by supporting brokers and customers.

Q. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned leading distribution in a competitive market?

The biggest lesson is that broker experience is paramount. We can build all the structure, capability, and reach we want, but none of that matters unless brokers feel we’re easy to deal with, consistent, speedy, and help them succeed for customers.

In a competitive market, brokers have choices. They partner with lenders who make things simpler and help them create better outcomes for customers. Speed, clarity, and reliability aren’t just operational considerations – they are strategic advantages. When brokers trust us to support them well, everything else follows. Liberty has been doing this for nearly three decades and continues to champion our industry.

Q. How do you ensure your distribution strategy aligns with delivering great outcomes for brokers and their clients?

It starts with listening. We take broker and aggregator feedback seriously, whether they partner with us today or are yet to work with us. Understanding what they value and what they find challenging or need next helps shape our decisions.

We treat broker experience as the highest priority. That means we focus on straightforward communication, consistent delivery, and reliability in the eyes of the broker. Getting these elements right means brokers are better equipped to deliver outstanding service to customers.

We treat broker experience as the highest priority. That means we focus on straightforward communication, consistent delivery, and reliability in the eyes of the broker

We also never stand still. Customer needs and lending conditions evolve constantly, so our approach must remain flexible and forward-looking. That mindset helps us continue to support brokers in a market that is always changing.

Q. What do you see as the biggest opportunities for brokers right now, and how is your team supporting them?

Customers now have more diverse and unique circumstances than ever before, so the flexibility of offerings from brokers and lenders needs to keep pace with that. There are so many diversified areas of need for customers today and tomorrow, so brokers who are familiar with a breadth of residential, commercial, asset, personal, and business lending will win.

This is the proposition we support at Liberty, empowering brokers to diversify, while we continue strengthening our capabilities to meet the varied needs of customers.

Q. What makes a broker relationship particularly successful from your perspective?

Successful broker relationships are built on trust, clear communication, and a shared commitment to great customer outcomes. When both sides are transparent and clear about expectations, everything flows more smoothly.

Consistency also matters. Trust is built over time by showing up and delivering, deal after deal. The best relationships go beyond transactions and feel like partnerships where both sides want each other to grow and succeed.

Q. What are the top tips you would give brokers to work more efficiently with your distribution team?

First, keep Liberty in mind for a broad range of customer needs, perhaps even broader than you think. We can often assist with scenarios that are not an obvious fit for other lenders.

Second, give us a call. Our team is skilled at finding practical options for customers, and a quick conversation can often unlock options not immediately apparent. The earlier we collaborate, the easier it is to find a path forward.