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

Carolyn Bonnell

Ombudsman

Appointed November 2014

Career history

  • Solicitor/Higher Courts Advocate/Team Leader, GT Stewart
  • Solicitor, O'Keeffe Solicitors

Carolyn Harwood

Ombudsman

Appointed May 2013

Career history

  • Barrister and Solicitor, Minter Ellison Rudd Watts, New Zealand
  • Senior Solicitor, Denton Wilde Sapte LLP
  • Legal Counsel, The Royal Bank of Scotland

Cassie Lauder

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2023

Career history

  • Senior Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Claims Manager, HSBC Insurance 

Catarina Machado Pinto Simoes

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2023

Career history

  • Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Quality Control (Packaged Bank Accounts), Barclays
  • Packaged Bank Accounts Complaints Handler, Barclays

Catherine Langley

Ombudsman

Appointed July 2016

Career history

  • Lead Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Associate Director of Rathbone Investment Management

Chandni Green

Ombudsman

Appointed January 2017

Career history

  • Executive Adviser, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Outreach Officer, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service

Chantelle Hurn-Ryan

Ombudsman

Appointed February 2013

Career history

  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Broker Service Specialist, Edward Jones

Charlie Newton

Ombudsman

Appointed July 2016

Career history

  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Product Specialist, John Charcol
  • Mortgage Advisor, Alexander Hall

Charlotte Mulvihill

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2024

Career history

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

Charlotte Roberts

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2023

Career history

  • Senior Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Business Change Analyst, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Investigator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Insolvency Manager, AML Analyst, Nationwide

Charlotte Wilson

Ombudsman

Appointed September 2014

Career history

  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Paralegal Officer, Crown Prosecution Service

Chillel Bailey

Ombudsman

Appointed May 2016

Career history

  • Team Manager, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Adjudicator, Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Mental Health Caseworker, MIND