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ABOUT US

The Board of Directors and Standards Board

Board

Comprising a Chair and Non-Executive Directors, the Board of Directors is responsible for appointing the Chief Ombudsman and providing governance. The Board of Directors also helps to safeguard the Ombudsman’s interests so that it is free to operate effectively and independently.

Our Standards Board exists to help preserve our independence and provide an invaluable set of checks and balances on our work. All Standards Board members share our vision of inspiring consumer confidence and raising industry standards and do so on a voluntary basis. Governed by a set of byelaws, the Standards Board regularly reviews a cross section of our adjudications, to ensure they are both fair and reasonable. It also oversees our rules, practices and procedures.

The Board of Directors

Picture of Kevin Grix, part of the The Board of Directors
Kevin Grix
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Ombudsman
Kevin was appointed in 2008 and is responsible for directing the activities of the Ombudsman. He read law at university for 3 years and graduated with honours, prior to studying to be a Barrister in London at the Inns of Court School of Law.
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Picture of John Peerless (Chair), part of the The Board of Directors
John Peerless (Chair)
Brighton & Hove Trading Standards
John Peerless has over 40 years of experience in consumer protection. Qualifying as a Weights and Measures Inspector he eventually became the Head of Trading Standards at Brighton & Hove City Council.
Read More
Picture of Judith Turner, part of the The Board of Directors
Judith Turner
Deputy Chief Ombudsman
Judith read Law at King’s College London for 3 years before graduating with honours in 1998. She then went on to complete the Legal Practice Course (LPC) and a training contract before qualifying as a solicitor in 2001.
Read More
Picture of Billy Quinn, part of the The Board of Directors
Billy Quinn
Managing Director
Billy joined the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman Limited Board in 2014 as a Non-Executive Director, serving as Board Chair 2017-18. He was appointed as Group Managing Director of Dispute Resolution Ombudsman in 2016.
Read More
Picture of Jonny Westbrooke, part of the The Board of Directors
Jonny Westbrooke
Non-Executive Director
Jonny joined the board as a NED in 2019. He has been Clerk and Chief Executive of the Furniture Makers’ Company since 2012 and is also a current director of the Forces Pension Society. Previous appointments include running FIRA international.
Read More
Picture of James Walker, part of the The Board of Directors
James Walker
Non-Executive Director
James has a thorough knowledge of the Ombudsman landscape and technological innovations in Alternative Dispute Resolution, and brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role.
Read More
Picture of Richard Puckey, part of the The Board of Directors
Richard Puckey
Non-Executive Director
Richard has been working for Dispute Resolution Ombudsman Ltd since 2019, primarily in the financial management of the rail contract. He graduated with a BA (Hons) in Business studies from the University of Northumbria in 1990.
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Standards Board

Picture of Dr. Richard Kirkham (Chair), part of the Standards Board
Dr. Richard Kirkham (Chair)
The University of Sheffield
Dr. Kirkham has written widely on the Ombudsman institution, scrutinising its capacity to operate as a fair and effective dispute resolution service
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Picture of Tom Ballard, part of the Standards Board
Tom Ballard
Citizens Advice
Picture of Isabel Barrell, part of the Standards Board
Isabel Barrell
Former Managing Director, Wesley Barrell
Isabel Barrell is the former managing director of the (at the time) family owned and run Wesley- Barrell Ltd. The company was one of the founding members of The Furniture Ombudsman.
Read More
Picture of Jim Potts FTSI, DCA, MBA, part of the Standards Board
Jim Potts FTSI, DCA, MBA
Fellow CTSI and retired Head of Lancashire Trading Standards
Jim Potts is the former Head of Trading Standards with Lancashire County Council. A Fellow of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, Jim has a wealth of experience in dealing with consumer law and complaints regarding furniture.
Read More
Picture of Susie Helliwell, part of the Standards Board
Susie Helliwell
CTSP Senior Trading Standards Officer at Hertfordshire County Council
Susie has been a trading standards officer for Hertfordshire County Council for the past 18 years and is particularly interested in consumer law, dispute resolution and business advice. She also sits on the board for the Institute for Consumer Affair
Read More
Picture of Brenda McNamara, part of the Standards Board
Brenda McNamara
Business Excellence Manager at the BSI Assurance UK Limited
Brenda McNamara is the Business Excellence Manager at the BSI Assurance UK Limited.
Read More
Picture of Naomi Creutzfeldt, part of the Standards Board
Naomi Creutzfeldt
Professor of Socio Legal Studies at University of Westminster
Picture of Peter Stonely, part of the Standards Board
Peter Stonely
Trading Standards Consultant and former Principal Trading Standards Officer with Peterborough City Council
Picture of Harry Yunis, part of the Standards Board
Harry Yunis
DFS, Head of Customer Services
Harry Yunis worked in a number of influential roles at DFS from Online to Credit Uplift, building a reputation for his commitment to world class service through customer advocacy.
Read More
Picture of Anthony Kirkwood, part of the Standards Board
Anthony Kirkwood
B & Q, Head of Installations
Anthony Kirkwood has worked in retail for many years, with experience ranging from retail operations to property and commercial. In his current role, he leads B&Q’s Kitchen, Bathroom and Bedroom Installation service across its 300+ stores and in
Read More
Picture of Tracey Skea, part of the Standards Board
Tracey Skea
Tapi Carpets, Director
Tracey Skea has worked in the flooring industry (retail) for 20 years and prior to that spent time in the product team at HMV. Being a qualified accountant, her experience has included working with PLC executive directors and senior managers in both large and small organisations beginning in a financial role.
Read More
Picture of Ian Studd, part of the Standards Board
Ian Studd
British Association of Removers, Director General
Ian Studd's career in the removals industry now spans 50 years and takes in many different operational, sales, and managerial roles in different market sectors.
Read More
Kevin Grix
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Ombudsman
Kevin was appointed in 2008 and is responsible for directing the activities of the Ombudsman. He read law at university for 3 years and graduated with honours, prior to studying to be a Barrister in London at the Inns of Court School of Law.
Read More
John Peerless (Chair)
Brighton & Hove Trading Standards
John Peerless has over 40 years of experience in consumer protection. Qualifying as a Weights and Measures Inspector he eventually became the Head of Trading Standards at Brighton & Hove City Council.
Read More
Judith Turner
Deputy Chief Ombudsman
Judith read Law at King’s College London for 3 years before graduating with honours in 1998. She then went on to complete the Legal Practice Course (LPC) and a training contract before qualifying as a solicitor in 2001.
Read More
Billy Quinn
Managing Director
Billy joined the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman Limited Board in 2014 as a Non-Executive Director, serving as Board Chair 2017-18. He was appointed as Group Managing Director of Dispute Resolution Ombudsman in 2016.
Read More
Jonny Westbrooke
Non-Executive Director
Jonny joined the board as a NED in 2019. He has been Clerk and Chief Executive of the Furniture Makers’ Company since 2012 and is also a current director of the Forces Pension Society. Previous appointments include running FIRA international.
Read More
James Walker
Non-Executive Director
James has a thorough knowledge of the Ombudsman landscape and technological innovations in Alternative Dispute Resolution, and brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role.
Read More
Richard Puckey
Non-Executive Director
Richard has been working for Dispute Resolution Ombudsman Ltd since 2019, primarily in the financial management of the rail contract. He graduated with a BA (Hons) in Business studies from the University of Northumbria in 1990.
Read More
Dr. Richard Kirkham (Chair)
The University of Sheffield
Dr. Kirkham has written widely on the Ombudsman institution, scrutinising its capacity to operate as a fair and effective dispute resolution service
Read More
Tom Ballard
Citizens Advice
Isabel Barrell
Former Managing Director, Wesley Barrell
Isabel Barrell is the former managing director of the (at the time) family owned and run Wesley- Barrell Ltd. The company was one of the founding members of The Furniture Ombudsman.
Read More
Jim Potts FTSI, DCA, MBA
Fellow CTSI and retired Head of Lancashire Trading Standards
Jim Potts is the former Head of Trading Standards with Lancashire County Council. A Fellow of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, Jim has a wealth of experience in dealing with consumer law and complaints regarding furniture.
Read More
Susie Helliwell
CTSP Senior Trading Standards Officer at Hertfordshire County Council
Susie has been a trading standards officer for Hertfordshire County Council for the past 18 years and is particularly interested in consumer law, dispute resolution and business advice. She also sits on the board for the Institute for Consumer Affair
Read More
Brenda McNamara
Business Excellence Manager at the BSI Assurance UK Limited
Brenda McNamara is the Business Excellence Manager at the BSI Assurance UK Limited.
Read More
Naomi Creutzfeldt
Professor of Socio Legal Studies at University of Westminster
Peter Stonely
Trading Standards Consultant and former Principal Trading Standards Officer with Peterborough City Council
Harry Yunis
DFS, Head of Customer Services
Harry Yunis worked in a number of influential roles at DFS from Online to Credit Uplift, building a reputation for his commitment to world class service through customer advocacy.
Read More
Anthony Kirkwood
B & Q, Head of Installations
Anthony Kirkwood has worked in retail for many years, with experience ranging from retail operations to property and commercial. In his current role, he leads B&Q’s Kitchen, Bathroom and Bedroom Installation service across its 300+ stores and in
Read More
Tracey Skea
Tapi Carpets, Director
Tracey Skea has worked in the flooring industry (retail) for 20 years and prior to that spent time in the product team at HMV. Being a qualified accountant, her experience has included working with PLC executive directors and senior managers in both large and small organisations beginning in a financial role.
Read More
Ian Studd
British Association of Removers, Director General
Ian Studd's career in the removals industry now spans 50 years and takes in many different operational, sales, and managerial roles in different market sectors.
Read More

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