With a career rooted in product-led growth and digital transformation, Macklin brings over 15 years of experience in building intuitive, high-performing platforms that blend deep behavioural insight with scalable technology. His expertise lies in translating complex user journeys into seamless, emotionally resonant digital experiences, particularly in regulated and high-stakes sectors.
Before joining Smartr365, Macklin held senior product and customer experience roles across fintech, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and consumer platforms. He is known for championing agile, insight-driven teams that obsess over the small details that make big differences for users, whether brokers, business partners or end customers.
At Smartr365, Macklin is spearheading the redesign of the mortgage journey through smart automation, behavioural nudges, and a modern user interface (UI), ensuring that every interaction – from fact find to final approval – feels personal, fast, and frictionless.
In the first part of a two-part interview with Shekina Tuahene, Mortgage Solutions‘ deputy editor, Macklin discusses Smartr365’s shift toward product-led innovation and the homebuyer experience.
Shekina Tuahene (ST): Damon, you joined Smartr365 in March this year. What was your initial mandate coming into the business?
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Damon Macklin (DM): The brief was clear from the start: evolve a powerful, market-leading platform into something that feels personal, intelligent, and enjoyable for every user, not just brokers and introducers, but, critically, homebuyers as well. Smartr365 already underpins a huge portion of the UK intermediary mortgage market, so we weren’t starting from zero. The goal was to take what works and redesign the experience to match modern expectations.
ST: Why the emphasis on the homebuyer?
DM: Mortgages are emotional. Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions in someone’s life. And yet, mortgage tech often feels cold, fragmented, and clunky. We saw a huge opportunity to deliver a journey that feels more like Monzo or Revolut; smart, beautiful, and stress-free for the homebuyer.
If we can make the mortgage experience feel intuitive, transparent, and seamless, then we’re doing more than improving tech, we’re building trust at a critical life moment.
ST: What does that look like in practice?
DM: We’ve rebuilt the Homebuyer App to feel mobile-first and frictionless. Think secure Magic Links instead of passwords, pre-filled fact finds using Experian, open banking, and Yoti ID, and real-time application tracking that shows you exactly where things stand. We’ve added in-app messaging, smart property insights, and contextual prompts, all designed to reduce drop-off and build confidence throughout the journey.
ST: Is this shift toward product-led design something new for Smartr365?
DM: It’s more of an evolution. Smartr365 has always had strong functionality, but now we’re layering in world-class usability and emotional design. That’s what product-led really means; understanding users at a deep level, removing friction, and obsessing over those micro-moments that define an experience. We’re not just delivering software; we’re delivering clarity, ease, and empowerment.
ST: It sounds like you’re turning what used to be a stressful process into something people can actually enjoy.
DM: That’s the dream, isn’t it? Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned broker, you should feel like the platform is working with you, not against you. We’ve built the engine, and now we’re tuning it to resonate with how people think, act, and feel in 2025.
