AFCA names senior ombudsmen

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority has promoted seven staff to the newly created role of senior ombudsman to drive more effective dispute resolution.

Each senior ombudsman will work with AFCA's lead ombudsman in banking and finance, insurance, investments and advice, and superannuation.

Anne Maree Howley has been appointed senior ombudsmen, superannuation. Before joining AFCA two years ago, she spent 19 years at Mercer as a wealth product manager.

Shail Singh - who was reappointed as ombudsman in investments and advice in July - is now senior ombudsman, investments and advice.

Other appointments include Andrew Weinmann as senior ombudsmen, life insurance, and Chris Liamos as senior ombudsman, general insurance.

AFCA has also promoted Louise McAuliffe to the role of senior ombudsman, credit. She joined the dispute resolution body in July, having spent 15 years with the ANZ Bank.

Lastly, Brenda Staggs is now senior ombudsmen, financial difficulty, and Neva Skilton is senior ombudsmen, transactions.

AFCA deputy chief ombudsman June Smith said the new positions would deliver fair and consistent decision-making.

"They'll bring their specialist technical and professional expertise to bear on projects aimed at efficient and consistent decision making, which we know is important to both complainants and financial firms," she said.

"The senior ombudsman will help ensure we deliver an independent, fair, and consistent approach to decision making and complaint resolution."