Baroness Manzoor CBE reappointed Chair of the Financial Ombudsman Service

Baroness Manzoor CBE, Chair of the Financial Ombudsman Service, said:

I’m delighted to be reappointed as Chair of the Financial Ombudsman Service as we move forward on our ambitious change agenda to provide a first-rate service to our customers. I am looking forward to continuing to work with my Board and my new Executive Team to deliver sustainable performance improvements, excellent service standards and value for money.  

Maintaining open and constructive dialogue with all our stakeholders, including the Treasury and the FCA, will also be a key focus. We will continue to ensure that our proactive engagement to share the valuable insights our casework provides will enable businesses to address their customers’ concerns quickly and fairly and reduce the number of complaints that need to be referred to our Service.

Richard Lloyd OBE, Interim Chair of the FCA, said: 

I congratulate Zahida on her reappointment and I look forward to continuing to work with her. The Financial Ombudsman Service fulfils an essential role in ensuring fair outcomes for consumers and financial services firms, and the extensive transformation programme initiated in her first term as Chair will stand the service in good stead for the future.

 Notes to editors

• The FCA is required by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) to appoint our Chair with the approval by HM Treasury as detailed in the Articles of association (PDF 132KB).
• Board members are “non-executive”, which means they don’t get involved with considering individual complaints. Their role is to oversee the strategy of our service and to make sure we have the resources we need to work effectively and independently. 
• Baroness Manzoor was appointed to the House of Lords in 2013, where she served as House of Lords Government Whip and Minister between March 2018 and May 2019.
• Before joining the Lords, Baroness Manzoor spent over 20 years at board level within large, complex organisations. She has also served as The Legal Services Ombudsman for England and Wales and The Legal Services Complaints Commissioner. While a member of the NHS’ policy board, Baroness Manzoor was one of eight Regional Chairs overseeing the NHS and was involved in leading significant transformation programmes. She was also a former Trustee of the NSPCC and Deputy Chair for the Commission for Racial Equality. Baroness Manzoor has been a governor at various higher education institutions and has 5 honorary doctorates.
• Baroness Manzoor was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1998 for her services to the NHS and improving race relations in the UK.

About the Financial Ombudsman Service

The Financial Ombudsman Service was set up by Parliament to resolve individual complaints between financial businesses and their customers on a fair and reasonable basis, as an alternative to the courts. It can look into problems involving most types of money matters. It is committed to sharing insight and experience to encourage fairness and confidence in financial services.