The Financial Services Council (FSC) and Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) have made new appointments, with the FSC naming a new deputy chair for its board and AFCA appointing its inaugural chief scams officer.
The FSC stated Challenger chief executive Nick Hamilton has been appointed deputy chair as AMP chief executive Alexis George steps down from that role following her announcement in January she would retire as AMP chief executive.
Hamilton has been a board member for four years and succeeds George, who joined the board in September 2023 and took on the deputy chair role in September 2024.
FSC chair David Bryant said: “Alexis’ experience and insight meant she made a tremendous contribution to the board. Her clear focus on customer outcomes was always at the forefront and we wish her every success.”
Incoming AMP chief executive Blair Vernon will join the board as a director as will Schroders Australia chief executive Alison Telfer, who rejoins after having previously served as a director from 2022 to 2025, as well as co-chair of the funds management board committee and chair of the standards oversight and disciplinary board committee.
Meanwhile, AFCA stated David Lacey would join the external dispute resolution scheme as its first chief scams officer as it builds a multi-party dispute resolution scheme for scams.
Lacey joins from national identity and cyber support service IDCare, where he was founder and chief executive, and will lead the expansion of AFCA’s jurisdiction to consider the role of banks, telcos and digital platforms in scam complaints, which will be a key component of the federal government’s Scams Prevention Framework.
AFCA chief ombudsman David Locke said: “David has spent years working directly with scam victims and that perspective will be critical in shaping a scams ombudsman service that is accessible, fair and can effectively resolve complex issues involving multiple parties.”
The appointment of Lacey follows that of three other senior staffers earlier this month when Deborah Jenkins was named as chief customer officer, Stevie-Ann Dovico was appointed chief technology officer and Brigid Parsonson was formally appointed as chief operating officer after working in an acting capacity in the role since early last year.
“We are strengthening our expertise so we can streamline our processes, make our service easier to use and manage the sustained high volume of complaints we continue to receive,” Locke said.
