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The Ombudsman is appointed by the Board of Directors, and must be independent of both industry and government.
The appointment of the Ombudsman is made on the recommendation of the Independent Directors Committee for a renewable term of up to five years. The Ombudsman cannot have been a government employee or have worked for or been closely associated with a participating firm for five years prior to appointment.
Our people
OBSI’s experienced and professional staff is drawn from a variety of fields and disciplines such as law, accounting, finance, banking and investments. Our staff is committed to conscientious, fair and timely dispute resolution, which is evident their dealings with all parties.
We currently have full and part-time staff members across Canada. Our team of consumer assistance officers responds to the thousands of initial inquiries and complaints that are received by phone, email, online, letters and faxes each year. We have two teams of assessment staff and investigators, one for Banking Services and the other for Investments, responsible for reviewing files in more depth. Each is headed by a Deputy Ombudsman. Our manager of administration is responsible for overseeing the office and the manager of public affairs oversees outreach and communications activities.
Ombudsman
Douglas Melville, Ombudsman and CEO
Mr. Melville was appointed Ombudsman and CEO by OBSI's Board of Directors in August of 2009. He had previously joined OBSI in early 2006 as Senior Deputy Ombudsman for Banking Services. Prior to this he held increasingly senior positions in the financial industry and was engaged in public and government sector projects in Canada and overseas as a policy analyst and consultant. He holds a B.A. from Carleton University, a law degree and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario, and a Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. He has served on the boards of numerous financial industry bodies and not-for-profit organizations in the fields of anti-poverty policy and financial literacy, international development, and the performing arts.
A biographical sketch of Mr. Melville can be viewed here
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