William Beattie Smith has extensive practical and academic experience as an author, policy analyst, and professional in government. Based in Belfast, Smith graduated in American Studies from the University of Sussex and earned his doctorate in Political Science from Stanford University. He was a Public Policy Fellow at the Institute for Contemporary Studies in the 1980s. Back in Belfast, he joined the Government of Northern Ireland as an Administration Trainee. Smith spent three years on secondment to the European Commission in Brussels. Following the Belfast Agreement of 1998, Smith served as Principal Private Secretary in the First Ministers’ Office.

Since standing down from Government in 2004, he has held a number of public appointments and worked with a range of clients including Executive Ministers, public sector agencies, research institutes, and voluntary organizations.