Our Ombudsmen

Our Ombudsmen make final decisions in cases where we can’t resolve a consumer’s complaint about a business more informally. If someone who has made a complaint accepts an Ombudsman’s final decision, the business involved has to do what the decision says. Find out more about how we make decisions.

Appointments to the panel of Ombudsmen are made under paragraphs 4 and 5 of schedule 17 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Our Chairman and Board of Directors are responsible for appointing our Ombudsmen. Find out more about how our service is governed.

Last updated: 14 March 2024

Chief Ombudsman

Abby Thomas

Chief Executive and Chief Ombudsman

Appointed October 2022

Career history

  • Director of Strategy Marketing and Transformation, Virgin Media O2
  • Executive Customer Director, Virgin Media O2
  • Global Head of Customer Operations, Vodafone Business 
  • Transformation Director, BT

View Abby Thomas profile

Deputy Chief Ombudsman

James Dipple-Johnstone

Deputy Chief Ombudsman

Appointed October 2022

Career history

  • Deputy Commissioner and Chief Regulating Officer, Information Commissioners Office
  • Director of Investigation and Supervision, Solicitor’s Regulation Authority
  • Operations Director, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
  • Commissioner, North West England Police Forces

View James Dipple-Johnstone profile

Senior Ombudsmen

Richard West

Director of Casework Policy

Appointed December 2022

Career history

  • Lead Ombudsman, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Ombudsman, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Solicitor, Private Practice

View Richard West profile

Tim Archer

Ombudsman Director

Appointed December 2022

Career history

  • Lead Ombudsman and Director of Casework, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Director of casework, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Assistant director of PPI, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Head of casework operations, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Head of Cash Performance UK operations, Barclays

View Tim Archer profile

Pat Hurley

Ombudsman Director

Appointed December 2022

Career history

  • Lead Ombudsman and Director of Casework, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Director of Casework, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Head of Casework Teams, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Manager, Paralegal Firm

View Pat Hurley profile

Rachel Lam

Ombudsman Director

Appointed January 2023

Career history

  • Ombudsman Leader, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Head of Casework Operations (new services), Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Head of Casework teams (mortgages), Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Social Fund Manager, London and the South East, Jobcentre Plus, DWP

View Rachel Lam profile

Clare Mortimer

Ombudsman Leader

Appointed April 2014

Career history

  • Ombudsman, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Casework Manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Deputy Complaints Manager, Office of the Banking Ombudsman

View Clare Mortimer profile

Vivienne Kelly

Ombudsman Director

Appointed January 2023

Career history

  • Head of Customer Service, Shell Energy
  • General Manager, Capita Customer Management
  • Senior Client Relationship Manager, Equidebt Limited
  • Senior Manager, Collections Operations, Black Horse Finance

  • Head of Customer Service,  Lloyds TSB Autolease

View Vivienne Kelly profile

Our Ombudsmen in alphabetical order

Abdul Ali

Ombudsman

Appointed December 2019

Career history

  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Team manager, Financial Ombudsman Service

View Abdul Ali profile

Abdul Hafez

Ombudsman

Appointed April 2015

Career history

  • Lawyer, Serious Fraud Office
  • Lawyer, Treasury Solicitor's Department
  • Associate, Herbert Smith Freehills LLP

View Abdul Hafez profile

Adam Charles

Ombudsman

Appointed October 2018

Career history

  • Executive Adviser, Chief Executive's Office, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Money Adviser, National Debtline

View Adam Charles profile

Adam Golding

Ombudsman

Appointed January 2017

Career history

  • Team manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Collections Team Manager, Fredrickson International Limited
  • Learning and Development Consultant, Fredrickson International Limited

View Adam Golding profile

Affroz Rasol-Ali

Ombudsman

Appointed October 2020

Career history

  • Senior Team Manager, SJD Accountancy 
  • Manager, Price Waterhouse Coopers(PwC)
  • Customer Care Manager, Al Rayan Bank 

View Affroz Rasol-Ali profile

Ailsa Wiltshire

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2017

Career history

  • Acting Head of Transformation and Performance, London Borough of Camden
  • Direct Payment Manager, London Borough of Camden
  • Information Manager, London Borough of Camden

View Ailsa Wiltshire profile

Aimee Stanton

Ombudsman

Appointed July 2016

Career history

  • Lead Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service

View Aimee Stanton profile

Alan Millward

Ombudsman

Appointed January 2017

Career history

  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Legal assistant , Bates Solicitors

View Alan Millward profile

Alessandro Pulzone

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2015

Career history

  • Complex Investigator, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
  • Investigator, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
  • Legal officer, Lewisham Homes

View Alessandro Pulzone profile

Alex Brooke-Smith

Ombudsman

Appointed November 2017

Career history

  • Head of Litigation, Stokes Solicitors LLP
  • Legal Counsel, Mercer
  • Solicitor, Fraser Brown

View Alex Brooke-Smith profile

Alex Newman

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2017

Career history

  • Team Manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Customer Service Adviser, RBS

View Alex Newman profile

Alex Salton

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2023

Career history

  • Senior Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Sales Adviser, M&Co
  • Waiter, The Bowes Museum 

View Alex Salton profile

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