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.
Interim Chief Ombudsman
James Dipple-Johnstone
Interim 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
Rachel Lam
Managing Ombudsman Director (interim)
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
Richard West
Ombudsman Director
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
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
James Mycroft
Ombudsman Director
Appointed January 2025
Career history
- Head of Strategy, Shawbrook Bank
- Chief Operations Officer, Sonovate
- Head of Customer Service, Principality Building Society
- Chief Operating Officer, Nemo Personal Finance
- Non-Executive Director, Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust
- Director of Customer Service, BT Group
Andy Wright
Ombudsman Director (interim)
Appointed April 2020
Career history
- Director of Mergers, Competition & Markets Authority
- Director, Mergers, Markets and Regulatory Appeals, Competition Commission
- Corporate Finance Manager, Deloitte
- Assurance and Advisory Manager, Andersen
Our Ombudsmen in alphabetical order
Emly Hanley
Ombudsman
Appointed February 2017
Career history
- Lead adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
Emma Davy
Ombudsman
Appointed February 2017
Career history
- Deputy District Judge (Civil-Western Circuit), Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service
- Assistant Boundary Commissioner, Boundary Commission for England
- Independent member - The Parole Board
Emma Hawkins
Ombudsman
Appointed January 2017
Career history
- Executive Adviser, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Claims Officer, Financial Services Compensation Scheme
Emma Peters
Ombudsman
Appointed November 2013
Career history
- Associate Director, HSBC Bank plc
- Associate Director, Lloyds Banking Group
- Executive Assistant, Lloyds Banking Group
Emma Szkolar
Ombudsman
Appointed July 2016
Career history
- Executive Adviser, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Customer Service, Family Investments
Emma Taskas
Ombudsman
Appointed September 2024
Career history
- Senior Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Foreign Language Teacher
- Case Manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
Esperanza Fuentes
Ombudsman
Appointed March 2019
Career History
- Head of Legal Operations, Which Ltd
- Solicitor Legal Advice Team, Which Ltd
- Crown Prosecutor, Crown Prosecution Service
Esther Absalom-Gough
Ombudsman
Appointed February 2015
Career history
- Solicitor, HM Treasury
- Solicitor, Department of Work and Pensions
- Solicitor, Cabinet Office
Farzana Miah
Ombudsman
Appointed June 2021
Career history
- Senior Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
Faye Brownhill
Ombudsman
Appointed September 2020
Career history
- Senior investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
Fiona Mallinson
Ombudsman
Appointed September 2023
Career history
- Senior Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
Fiona Robinson
Ombudsman
Appointed October 2010
Career history
- Consumer Advice Officer, Trading Standards, Middlesborough Council
- Licensing Support, Gateshead Council
- Customer Services, Npower
