our members specialise in external dispute resolution
banking investments insurance credit financial advice pensions
For specific advice or dispute resolution, please contact a dispute resolution scheme or office in your country.
The INFO Network
Secretariat does not
offer a dispute resolution service, and it cannot give consumer or legal advice.
Check here for a dispute resolution scheme in your country
aims |
governance |
events |
contact |
members
About the INFO Network
The International Network of Financial Services Ombudsman Schemes (the INFO Network) is the worldwide association for financial services ombudsmen — independent and impartial out-of-court bodies that resolve complaints brought by consumers (and, in some cases, small businesses) against banks, insurers and/or other financial services providers.
Set up in 2007, our member schemes/offices work together to develop their expertise in dispute resolution, by exchanging experiences and information in areas including:
• scheme/office structures, functions and governance models
• scheme/office codes of conduct
• use of information technology
• handling of systemic issues
• cross border referral of complaints
• staff training and continuing education
While many of our member schemes/offices are actually called Ombudsman, others are not. Other common terms are Mediator and Adjudicator, and the short form Ombud.
Fundamental principles
The financial services Ombudsmen schemes and offices which are INFO Network members are (so far as it is within their control) expected to adopt six fundamental principles, together with the effective approaches to those principles, agreed by the membership:
• independence, to secure impartiality
• clarity of scope and powers
• accessibility
• effectiveness
• fairness
• transparency and accountability.
The control and management of the INFO Network sits with a Committee, supported by a Secretariat.
Committee members are elected annually by the Network members, with the aim of ensuring representation from around the world.
Doug Melville (Chair), Channel Islands Financial Ombudsman
Larry Hattix, Office of the Ombudsman, Comptroller of the Currency, USA
Sujatha Sekhar Naik, Securities Industry Dispute Resolution Center, Malaysia
Clive Pillay, Ombudsman for Banking Services, South Africa
Piruz Sargsyan, Financial System Mediator, Armenia
Karen Stevens, Insurnace & Financial Services Ombudsman, New Zealand
Shane Tregillis, Financial Ombudsman Service, Australia
Raj Venga, Credit and Investments Ombudsman, Australia
Caroline Wayman, Financial Ombudsman Service, United Kingdom
Annual INFO Conference
The INFO Network's annual INFO conference delivers targeted professional development for Ombudsmen.
INFO 2017 will be hosted by the Financial Ombudsman Service Australia in Melbourne from 24 to 27 September 2017.
Previous INFO conferences have been hosted in:
INFO 2016 - Yerevan, Armenia, September 2016
INFO 2015 - Helsinki, Finland, September 2015
INFO 2014 - Port of Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, September 2014
INFO 2013 - Taipei, Taiwan ROC, September 2013
INFO 2012 - Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2012
INFO 2011 - Vancouver, Canada, September 2011
INFO 2010 - Cape Town, South Africa, September 2010
INFO 2009 - Dublin, Ireland, June 2009
INFO 2008 - New York City, USA, September/October 2008
INFO 2007 - London, September 2007
INFO 2006 - Gold Coast, Australia, August 2006
The conference presentations are available to all INFO Network members in the members' intranet. Other conference delegates can request a presentation through the Secretariat.
INFO Network Secretariat
Email:
secretariat@networkfso.org
Postal address:
72 Coomera Gorge Drive, Mt Tamborine, Queensland, Australia 4272
Telephone:
+61 7 5545 1598
Contact:
Karen Chalmers-Scott
Who are the INFO Network's members?
The members of the INFO Network are ombudsman schemes and offices operating as independent, out-of-court dispute resolution mechanisms in the financial sector. In this context, the term 'financial services ombudsman scheme' includes any body that is assessed as fulfilling the same independent role.
Depending on their jurisdiction, these schemes and offices provide dispute resolution services for consumers who have not been able to resolve the matter directly with their financial services provider in the areas of:
• banking
• investments
• insurance
• credit
• financial advice
• pensions/superannuation
About the institution of Ombudsman
a proven model
guiding principles
research
Information for consumers
complaint tips
case studies
annual reports
Resources
for members
intranet
online library
conference
newsletter
Who we are
What we do
members
aims
governance
events
Websites of INFO Network members
Eurasia
Asia-Pacific
Africa
Americas
Contact | News archives | Disclaimer COPYRIGHT INFO NETWORK 2007-17