Sarah joined The Ombudsman in January 2018 to lead the work of our Consumer and Member Services Department, which provides membership and consumer advice and operates our expert witness services. Sarah has spent her career in managerial positions within market-leading commercial and not-for-profit organisations including a research association that influences regulatory change at a European level.
Matt joined the Ombudsman in June 2018, bringing diverse experience and customer service expertise gained in the public and private sectors, working across a range of industries. As Head of Engagement, Matt’s responsibilities include stakeholder relationship management.
Sam joined the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman in October 2018 as a Lead Ombudsman bringing with her a wealth of expertise in consumer law issues. Prior to becoming Lead Ombudsman, Sam gained invaluable experience in case management through her role as a conciliator. Sam specialises in Consumer Civil Law and her career in dispute resolution spans 30 years, during which time, she completed her Diploma of Consumer Affairs. Sam is also a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Treasurer for the Institute of Consumer Affairs.
Stephen qualified as a solicitor in 1994. He has always had a passion for Consumer and Holiday Law, spending time over the years working for leading legal expenses insurers, dealing with all of their consumer and travel law cases. Stephen has also worked in Kent County Council Trading Standards. Here he obtained a Trading Standards Diploma in Consumer Affairs enabling him to become a full member of the Chartered Institute of Trading Standards.
Stephen has a wide range of experience and expertise, having worked as a solicitor with Which? Legal Services, where he regularly helped members with an array of consumer law problems, neighbour disputes, tenancy issues, parking disputes and holiday law cases. Stephen has appeared on BBC Breakfast, the radio, in the press and the Victoria Derbyshire Show.
Stephen has also worked with Citizens Advice, where he advised on welfare law, neighbour disputes, energy complaints, housing and general consumer law problems.
Stephen has also completed a Level 5 BTEC course in Complaint Handling and Investigation.
Sarah joined the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman in June 2015 to lead the work of the Consumer and Member Services team, which provides membership and consumer advice services. In October 2017, Sarah took up a new position leading the Ombudsman team as Senior Ombudsman and Head of Casework. Sarah has obtained a Level 5 BTEC in Complaint Handling and Investigation and has completed a leadership and management course at City University.
Sarah read Law for 3 years prior to graduating with honours in 2008. Later the same year she took up an advisory post at Consumer Direct, the national government backed consumer advice service. After some time with Citizens Advice, Sarah moved in to the private sector in 2010 where she worked as a Customer Service Executive responsible for managing commercial contracts and customer complaints.
Astudiodd Judith y Gyfraith yn King’s College, Llundain am dair blynedd cyn graddio gydag anrhydedd yn 1998. Aeth ymlaen i gwblhau’r Cwrs Ymarfer Cyfreithiol (LPC) a chontract hyfforddi cyn cymhwyso fel cyfreithiwr yn 2001. Cyn hynny, roedd hi’n cael ei chyflogi gan gwmni City Law, gan ymdrin â Chyfraith Fasnachol. Ymunodd Judith â’r Ombwdsmon yn 2011 ac mae bellach yn arbenigo mewn Dulliau Amgen o Ddatrys Anghydfodau.
Ers iddi gael ei phenodi, mae Judith wedi ysgrifennu a chyflwyno amrywiaeth eang o gyrsiau hyfforddi achrededig ar Gyfraith Defnyddwyr a Chydymffurfiaeth, wedi’u teilwra i’r sectorau y mae’r Ombwdsmon yn gweithredu ynddynt. Bydd Judith yn aml yn annerch cynadleddau a digwyddiadau i’r diwydiant ac i ombwdsmyn. Judith yw Cadeirydd presennol Rhwydwaith Polisi Cymdeithas yr Ombwdsmyn ac mae’n aelod o Banel Cyswllt Dull Amgen o Ddatrys Anghydfodau’r Cyngor Cyfiawnder Sifil. Mae hi wedi ysgrifennu’n helaeth ar faterion Dull Amgen o Ddatrys Anghydfodau a materion defnyddwyr a hi yw cydawdur y deunydd a gyhoeddir cyn bo hir ar ran yr Ombwdsmon yn Atkins Court Forms.
Richard is responsible for the day to day management of the Ombudsman, ensuring that the highest standards are achieved and maintained in accordance with our rules, values and quality assurance policies.
He is responsible for promoting the work of the Ombudsman and fostering relationships with all of the stakeholders that have an interest in our work or that use our service.Richard began his career with a management role in the financial services industry and has subsequently held senior positions with a business consultancy and a market leading waste management company.
Penodwyd Kevin yn 2008 ac mae’n gyfrifol am gyfarwyddo gweithgareddau’r Ombwdsmon. Astudiodd y gyfraith yn y brifysgol am dair blynedd a graddiodd gydag anrhydedd, cyn astudio i fod yn fargyfreithiwr yn Llundain yn Ysgol y Gyfraith Ysbytai’r Brawdlys. Fe’i galwyd i’r Bar gan Anrhydeddus Gymdeithas y Deml Fewnol ar ôl llwyddo yn ei arholiadau bargyfreithiwr. Mae ganddo hefyd gymhwyster proffesiynol Sefydliad Siartredig y Cymrodeddwyr (CIArb). Ar ôl gwasanaethu am gyfnod o bedair blynedd rhwng 2015 a 2019, yn 2021 ail-etholwyd Kevin i Fwrdd Cyfarwyddwyr Cymdeithas yr Ombwdsmon, sef corff sy’n cynghori’r llywodraeth ac yn helpu i oruchwylio sefyllfa’r ombwdsmyn a thrin chwynion ar draws y DU, Iwerddon, Tiriogaethau Tramor Prydeinig a Thiriogaethau Dibynnol y Goron. Ym mis Tachwedd 2018, gwahoddwyd Kevin i ymuno â Bwrdd yr Ymddiriedolwyr Cyngor ar Bopeth yn Stevenage.
Mae gan Kevin ddau gyfrifoldeb – mae’n gwasanaethu hefyd (ers 1 Ionawr 2022) fel Prif Ombwdsmon yr Ombwdsmon Pêl-droed Annibynnol (“IFO”), cynllun a sefydlwyd gan yr awdurdodau pêl-droed (Y Gymdeithas Bêl-droed, yr Uwch Gynghrair, a’r Gynghrair Bêl-droed) i dderbyn a dyfarnu ar gwynion nad ydynt wedi’u datrys yn gynharach. Cyn y penodiad hwn, roedd Kevin yn aelod o Fwrdd Cynghori’r Ombwdsmon Pêl-droed Annibynnol rhwng 2015 a 2021 lle bu’n cynghori ei ragflaenydd ar achosion ym maes pêl-droed a’r gweithdrefnau ar gyfer datrys anghydfodau.
Mae gan Kevin ddiddordeb brwd mewn materion defnyddwyr ac mae wedi ymddangos sawl gwaith ar y teledu, radio ac yn y wasg i roi barn arbenigol ar ystod o faterion sy’n effeithio ar ddefnyddwyr. Mae ganddo ddealltwriaeth arbenigol o gyfraith defnyddwyr ac mae wedi ysgrifennu a chyflwyno cyfres o gyrsiau a seminarau achrededig yn y maes hwn.
Cyn dod i’w swydd bresennol cyflogwyd Kevin am ddwy flynedd fel cwnsler cyfreithiol mewnol mewn busnes ardystio a phrofi byd-eang. Yn 2005, roedd yn rhan o’r tîm o gynghorwyr a sefydlodd Glinig y Gyfraith Prifysgol Hertfordshire, canolfan gyngor cyfreithiol pro bono a wasanaethodd y gymuned leol. Mae gyrfa flaenorol Kevin yn cynnwys swyddi nad oeddent yn ymwneud â’r gyfraith na datrys anghydfodau – mewn manwerthu, y diwydiant ariannol ac ym maes gemau ar-lein.
Kevin a’i gydweithiwr, y Dirprwy Brif Ombwdsmon Judith Turner, yw cyd-awduron Cyfrol 28 o ‘Atkin’s Court Forms and Precedents on Ombudsman schemes in England and Wales’. Fe’i cyhoeddwyd gan LexisNexis yn 2020, ac mae’n rhan o unig wyddoniaduron y DU o ffurflenni, cynseiliau a gweithdrefnau ymgyfreitha sifil ac mae’n awdurdod blaenllaw ar y broses y dylid ei dilyn.
