The Board runs the single ombudsman scheme set up by the FSA under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to deal with complaints against the financial services sector.
Christopher Kelly has been a member of the FOS Board since 2002. He is currently Chairman of the NSPCC, a board member of National Consumer Council and is a former Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health.
The FSA also announced the appointment of five new non-executive members of the Board of the Financial Ombudsman Service and the reappointment of three current members.
FSA Chairman Callum McCarthy said: “I am delighted that Christopher Kelly is to succeed Sue Slipman. Sue has done an excellent job as Chairman in cementing the FOS as an effective dispute resolution service, and I have every confidence that Christopher, with his wealth of expertise and experience, will take forward the FOS's work in meeting its obligations in the face of a rapidly expanding workload and rapidly changing retail markets. I am also very pleased that we have, again, managed to secure the appointment of high calibre individuals with a wide range of relevant skills and experience to the FOS Board and that a number of experienced and valued Board members have agreed to serve for a further term. I pay tribute to the outgoing directors: Brian Landers, Helena Wiesner and Robert Crawford who have served on the board for six years since the very start; and Lawrence Churchill who leaves after three years. All have made significant contributions to the work of FOS."
Sir Christopher Kelly said: "The Financial Ombudsman Service has an important role in underpinning confidence in the financial system through providing an independent means of resolving complaints which both consumers and providers can trust to be fair and proportionate. I am delighted to be succeeding Sue Slipman as chair at such an interesting stage in its development."
Newly appointed members of the Board are:
Roger Sanders OBE: currently the Principal of an Independent Financial Adviser and Employee Benefits Consultancy and former Joint Chairman of the FSA Small Business Practitioner Panel. He was a member of the Financial Services Practitioner Panel, in his capacity as chair of the SBPP, between 1999 and 2004 and a PIA Board member between 1996 and 1997 and again in 1998 to 2000. He was a Director of the PIA Ombudsman Bureau for a similar period between 1996 and 1997 and again in 1998 to 2000. He was a founding director of the Association of Independent Financial Advisers in 1999 and will end his six years as Deputy Chairman next month.
Richard Hampton: currently a senior manager in HSBC's Group Insurance and a director of HSBC Reinsurance (Ireland) Ltd. He was previously the Managing Director of HSBC General Insurance (Services) Ltd. and Head of General Insurance for HSBC Bank plc.
Caroline Banks: currently a member of various panels including the Association of Energy Suppliers Code Panel, the Civil Service Appeal Board and a director of the Consumer Policy Institute. She has 28 years experience at the Office of Fair Trading, the last 14 years serving as a member of OFT's senior managing group. From 1998 to 2001 she was Director of the Consumers Affairs Division and from 2001 to 2003 was Director of the Consumer Regulation and Enforcement Division there.
Julian Lee: has been running his own crisis and change management consultancy since 2002. He is also a magistrate with the North Sussex Bench. Previously he was the Chief Executive of the Allied Carpets Group between 1999 and 2002 and Chairman between 1991 and 1999. He was Chief Executive of the Bricom Group from 1985 to 1990.
David Crowther: retired as Head of Global Risk Management from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in 2004. He had served PwC as a partner for 28 years. He has been a member of the Professional Oversight Board for Accountancy since July 2004 and is also a non-executive director of TT electronics plc.
The following Board members have been re-appointed:
Ed Hucks: currently Non-Executive Director, West Bromwich Building Society and a member of the Court, University of Leeds. Formerly Customer Services Director of NPI and Director of National and Provincial Building Society.
Roger Jefferies: currently Director of the National Clinical Assessment Authority, Director of the Telecommunications Ombudsman Service and Chairman of an NHS disciplinary tribunal. Formerly Independent Housing Ombudsman and Chief Executive of Hounslow and Croydon London Boroughs.
Kate Lampard: currently Trustee of Esmee Fairburn Foundation; Chair of Kent and Medway Strategic Health Authority. Formerly Chair of the Independent Housing Ombudsman Limited and Chair of the Invicta Community Care NHS Trust.
