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: 23 October 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our Ombudsmen in alphabetical order

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 

Alex Watts

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2024

Career history

  • Senior Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service

Alexander MacDonald

Ombudsman

Appointed May 2012

Career history

  • Team Manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Assistant National Customer Services Manager, Direct Line Insurance

Alexander Mann

Ombudsman

Appointed June 2021

Career history

  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service

Alison Gore

Ombudsman

Appointed July 2019

Career history

  • Team Manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Contact Team Member, Financial Ombudsman Service

Amanda Maycock

Ombudsman

Appointed June 2022

Career history

  • Ombudsman, Channel Islands Financial Ombudsman
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service

Amanda Scott

Ombudsman

Appointed October 2019

Career history

  • Head of Investigations, Nursing and Midwifery Council
  • Case Investigation Manager, Nursing and Midwifery Council
  • Case Manager, Nursing and Midwifery Council

Amanda Williams

Ombudsman

Appointed April 2012

Career history

  • Senior researcher, 63336 Ltd
  • Strategic analyst, Concert Communications
  • Senior financial analyst, British Telecom

Amber Mortimer

Ombudsman

Appointed May 2018

Career history

  • Team manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Branch Manager, NatWest

Ami Bains

Ombudsman

Appointed March 2024

Career history

  • Senior Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service

Amina Rashid

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2024

Career history

  • Senior Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service  
  • Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Team Leader Course Consultant, Newham College of Further Education

Amy Osborne

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2014

Career history

  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Phlebotomist, Ipswich Hospital