Smith attended the Triple C School in Grand Cayman, then Clifton College.

He joined Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service in 1986 and has held positions in London, Tokyo, and as Counsellor (Economic/Commercial) in Moscow 1998–2002.

[1] From 2007 to 2012 Smith served as Ambassador to Austria, based in Vienna, and as the UK's representative to many UN and international organisations in Vienna, including as the UK's Governor on the Board of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

[1] His transfer to Kyiv as Ambassador to Ukraine was announced on 13 October 2011[1] and he took up the appointment in 2012.

[3] After a brief spell in London and Korean language training, he was appointed Ambassador to South Korea[2] and took up the post in March 2018.