The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has appointed Abby Thomas as chief executive and chief ombudsman.
Thomas (pictured) has significant experience in leading change and driving operational excellence in large, complex organisations, the FOS said.
She currently works for Virgin Media O2 where her roles have included leading Virgin Media consumer operations and more recently leading its B2B transformation programme.
She will take up her new role in the autumn succeeding Nausicaa Delfas who took on the position on an interim basis.
Delfas was appointed in April 2021 when Caroline Wayman stepped down after seven years as chief executive and chief ombudsman.
Thomas said she was “excited and honoured” to lead the organisation and support consumers and financial services firms to get fair, timely and effective complaints resolutions.
“I believe the FOS is critical to the effective functioning of the British economy and has never been more important than it is today,” she said.
“This is because at times of economic turbulence, it helps to maintain consumer confidence in financial markets.”
Baroness Manzoor, chairwoman of the FOS, said Thomas would bring her wealth of experience in top executive roles.
“I would like to thank Nausicaa Delfas for the leadership she has provided to the organisation over the past year as our interim chief executive and chief ombudsman, during a period of significant challenge; she has made significant changes,” Baroness Manzoor continued.
“We are now better prepared to deliver our ambitious strategy for service improvement and operational excellence. I am delighted that she has agreed to continue her secondment until the autumn.”