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: 8 April 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

Sarah Brimacombe

Ombudsman

Appointed January 2020

Career history

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

 

View Sarah Brimacombe profile

Sarah Conway

Ombudsman

Appointed November 2016

Career history

  • Head of Casework, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Team Manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Investigations Manager, General Social Care Council

View Sarah Conway profile

Sarah Green

Ombudsman

Appointed June 2016

Career history

  • Team Manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Manager, Cadbury Garden Centre

View Sarah Green profile

Sarah Holmes

Ombudsman

Appointed November 2016

Career history

  • Team Manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Medical Claims Manager, AIG

View Sarah Holmes profile

Sarah Milne

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2017

Career history

  • Customer Care and Improvement Manager, London Borough of Sutton
  • Head of Customer Relations, Barclays bank
  • Head of Executive Support Team, Barclays bank

View Sarah Milne profile

Sarah Scott

Ombudsman

Appointed November 2020

Career history

  • (Current) Head of Investigations and Enforcement, Phone-paid Services Authority
  • Operations Team Leader and Family Liaison Coordinator, Independent Office for Police Conduct
  • Researcher, University of Cambridge Institute of Criminology 

View Sarah Scott profile

Sarah Tozzi

Ombudsman

Appointed November 2014

Career history

  • Adjudicator, Traffic Penalty Tribunal
  • Barrister, Farrar's Building
  • Barrister, Plowden Buildings

View Sarah Tozzi profile

Sarann Taylor

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2015

Career history

  • Principal Advisor for Special Educational Needs & Disability Tribunals, Staffordshire County Council
  • Head of Special Educational Needs & Disability Assessment Service, Staffordshire County Council
  • Senior Assessment Officer - Special Educational Needs & Disability Assessment Service, Staffordshire County Council

View Sarann Taylor profile

Sarita Taylor

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2014

Career history

  • Lead Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Complaint Handler, National Westminster Bank Plc

View Sarita Taylor profile

Sarrah Turay

Ombudsman

Appointed July 2016

Career history

  • Team Manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Executive Adviser, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Paralegal, Harvey Ingram LLP

View Sarrah Turay profile

Scott Slade

Ombudsman

Appointed May 2016

Career history

  • Team Manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Legal and Litigation Manager, Lloyds TSB
  • Accounts Manager, Lloyds TSB

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Sean Hamilton

Ombudsman

Appointed December 2010

Career history

  • Public Prosecutor, Public Prosecution Service (Northern Ireland)
  • Solicitor, Central Service Agency
  • Police Constable, Metropolitan Police

View Sean Hamilton profile

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