It comes six months after Rob Thomas, also a senior policy adviser, left the CML to pursue other interests.
With Smith going the trade body has a policy team of five including Jackie Bennett as head of policy and Jennifer Bourne, John Marr, Jon Saunders and Nick Wood as senior policy advisers.
A CML spokesman said: “The CML remains in a healthy position to help its members meet the challenges lying ahead for the UK mortgage industry.
“Like all organisations the CML experiences staff turnover. This is a normal part of business life and helps ensure organisations remain refreshed and dynamic. The CML is fortunate to have a healthy mix of long-established and newer staff.”
He added that the CML remains focused on the challenge of “further enhancing its role as a clear and effective voice on behalf of all UK lenders whether they are banks, building societies or other types of lender, large firms or small”.
Peter Williams, executive chairman of the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association, said: “The CML has access to experience as well as significant in house expertise –a number of staff have worked in and around the industry for more than a decade or more.
“Market experience is only one measure of how to impact. Staff turnover is inevitable and sensible –this is partly how organisations change and CML has shown itself able to attract good new staff.”
Smith is rumoured to be going to a major lender.
