Paul Smyth

Barclays’ Head of Digital Accessibility

Paul began working at Barclays as a visually impaired accountant and has grown through the company to become an international expert and thought-leader on accessibility. 

Paul helped create their disability staff network, which embedded accessibility into the organisation, including disabled people in user testing everything from online banking to building refurbishments. In 2012 Paul became Barclays’ Head of Digital Accessibility where he founded the Accessibility team, addressing technological barriers faced by older and disabled staff and customers.

It’s important to create products which are more than just compliant but actively accessible.

In 2013, with RNIB and British Dyslexia Association, Paul’s team created personalised high visibility debit cards with bright colours, clear arrows and tactile notches to make it easier to read or insert into cash machines for the 20,000+ customers using them. Barclays’ website and mobile app now undergo disabled user testing to ensure a better experience for a greater number of customers.

Paul explains: “Many organisations are waking up to the multitude of benefits that accessibility brings – reducing legal risks, bolstering brand, improving customer experience and colleague productivity. It’s an exciting time for the next wave of disabled talent to not just be consulted but to lead the charge.”

Harnessing Barclays’ ambition to become the most accessible FTSE 100 company, Paul leverages their influence to create change far beyond their own customer base. Barclays became a founding member of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) and sponsors several accessibility conferences including TechSharePro or weekly Twitter AXSChat – democratising know-how.

Paul sits on several boards and advisory panels for disability charities and this year was appointed the Web Accessibility disability sector champion by the UK Government’s Disability Minister. He’s an active member of the Business Disability Forum’s Technology Taskforce, collaborating to create and share best practices between organisations wishing to be disability confident.