KINSGTON, Jamaica – Former Google executive working on the monetisation of Google Maps, Natalie Bennett, has joined local tech firm Y Smart Data as its new Chief Product Officer.

Her appointment took effect on January 6 as indicated by Y Smart Data’s CEO Ray St Michael Williams.

Over the past four years, Y Smart Data, a Jamaican-based tech startup, has been building and refining a comprehensive address database for Jamaica.

The startup up’s primary focus is on developing and implementing SMART Codes — an alpha numeric address code for Jamaica that provides granular, location-based address data through a standardised addressing system. By leveraging these SMART Codes, Y Smart Data aims to set a new industry standard for precise and accurate addressing in Jamaica that enables actionable location intelligence and insights.

A seasoned product manager with over a decade of strategic leadership and deep technical expertise, Bennet will lead new product initiatives as the company enters its pilot stage. Most recently, she served as Senior Product Manager at Google, where she led monetisation efforts for Google Maps.

Bennet has extensive experience driving the ideation, development, and launch of B2B and B2C products, generating billions in revenue across fintech and adtech.
With a background in software engineering, she excelled at transforming complex technical challenges into innovative, user-centric solutions that drive business growth.

Williams stated, “Natalie has a deep understanding of our user segment and will help us to create products that satisfy user needs and drive business growth. Her competences include thorough user research, market fit analysis, stakeholder management, along with product design and implementation. We are excited about our platform’s future with her joining the team”.

“The best part about Natalie is that she is proudly Jamaican and wants to see our country grow and prosper,” Williams added.

Y Smart Data is currently in discussions with several entities that will enter a pilot programme to utilise the SMART Codes by the third quarter of 2025. For the insurance and others the financial industry, a standardised geotagged address database will enhance underwriting accuracy, reduce fraud and data entry errors. Y Smart Data has already geotagged real estate listings by value, illustrating how geographic areas of affluence and risk can be identified across Jamaica.

CEO Williams also emphasised that the SMART Codes initiative will help companies comply with the Jamaica Data Privacy Act, which mandates that data controllers maintain the most accurate and up-to-date client information, including addresses.

He further said “Smart codes can also be used to significantly modernise the post office, help with the SPARK road habilitation programme and assist with e-commerce and deliveries.

This shift towards location intelligence not only enhances operational efficiency but also creates new opportunities for innovation and growth within Jamaica.”