Announced today Anthony Arter to stay on as part-time Deputy Pensions Ombudsman

The Chair of The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO), Caroline Rookes, today announced that Anthony Arter will remain at TPO as Deputy Pensions Ombudsman once his term as Pensions Ombudsman ends on 15 January 2023. This is an interim appointment, for up to twelve months, that has been approved by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Dominic Harris will take up his appointment as Pensions Ombudsman and Pensions Protection Fund Ombudsman on 16 January 2023.

Anthony will remain to complete the cases for which he has held Pensions Dishonesty Unit oral hearings; deal with any conflicts which the new Ombudsman may have, and also ensure a smooth transition. This will be a part-time post exclusively dealing with Determinations and Anthony will no longer have responsibility for the management of the organisation which will pass to Dominic as Pensions Ombudsman and Chief Executive of TPO.

Since 1 July 2020, for an interim period, there has not been a standalone Deputy Pensions Ombudsman.

With the launch of the Pensions Dishonesty Unit in January 2022, and the continual rise in the number of complaints TPO receives annually, inevitably, the number of investigations requiring Ombudsman involvement has increased.

Caroline Rookes said:

“Under Anthony’s leadership TPO has gone from strength to strength as the complexity and volume of complaints we receive has increased rapidly.  I am pleased that Anthony has agreed to stay on to help make sure there is a smooth transition to Dominic as the new Ombudsman.”

Anthony Arter said:

“I am delighted to be staying on as Deputy Pensions Ombudsman and am looking forward to working alongside Dominic. In particular, the work of the Pensions Dishonesty Unit is very close to my heart and it is essential that this work continues so those responsible for serious breaches of trust and misappropriation of pension funds can be held to account and funds recovered from the parties at fault.”