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
Siobhan McBride
Ombudsman
Appointed January 2014
Career history
- Senior Probation Officer, London Probation Trust
- Senior Policy Advisor, Ministry of Justice
- Probation Officer, London Probation Trust
Sonal Matharu
Ombudsman
Appointed September 2018
Career history
- Team Manager – Financial Ombudsman Service
- Local Chief Executive Officer – Royal Bank of Scotland Group
- Senior Banking Manager – Royal Bank of Scotland Group
Sonia Ahmed
Ombudsman
Appointed June 2021
Career history
- Senior Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
Sophia Smith
Ombudsman
Appointed September 2014
Career history
- Lead Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- High Court Advocate Clerk, Crown Prosecution Service
Sophie Goodyear
Ombudsman
Appointed March 2019
Career history
- Head of Complaints, The Labour Party
- Compliance Officer, The Labour Party
- Product Delivery Team Leader, Inspiring Learning
Sophie Kyprianou
Ombudsman
Appointed September 2023
Career history
- Senior Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Supervisor, Citizens Advice
Sophie Mitchell
Ombudsman
Appointed July 2016
Career history
- Executive Adviser to the Ombudsman Panel, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Executive Adviser, Chief Executive's Office, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
Sophie Wilkinson
Ombudsman
Appointed January 2017
Career history
- Team Manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Customer Services Manager, Egg Banking Plc
- Multi-site Manager, MacQueen
Staci Rowland
Ombudsman
Appointed September 2017
Career history
- Team Manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Integrated Governance Manager, Private Healthcare
Stefan Riedel
Ombudsman
Appointed October 2013
Career history
- Lead Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Branch Manager, Royal Bank of Scotland
Stephanie Mitchell
Ombudsman
Appointed May 2016
Career history
- Team Manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Adviser, BPP Legal Advice Clinic
Stephen Billings
Ombudsman
- Senior investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
- Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
