AFCA appoints lead superannuation ombudsman

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has appointed Paul Woodburn as its new lead ombudsman superannuation, succeeding Heather Gray, who had served as lead ombudsman superannuation since 2020.

Woodburn commenced in the role on May 25 for a five-year term, bringing more than two decades of experience across superannuation, funds management and financial services, spanning legal, regulatory and executive leadership positions.

AFCA deputy chief ombudsman June Smith said Woodburn's appointment reinforced the authority's commitment to delivering fair and effective outcomes across its superannuation work.

"Paul is highly regarded leader with deep technical legal and superannuation expertise and a strong track record of working constructively with diverse stakeholders," Smith said.

Woodburn noted he was looking forward to contributing to the sector and supporting Australians through independent and transparent dispute resolution processes.

"It's a privilege to join AFCA as the lead ombudsman for superannuation and to have the opportunity to contribute to the superannuation industry for the benefit of many Australians," he said.

The appointment comes as AFCA continues to sharpen its focus on how financial firms implement consumer protection and hardship frameworks in practice.

In its latest Systemic Issues Insight Report released last week, AFCA warned that while many financial services firms had established sound hardship and vulnerability frameworks, customer outcomes remained inconsistent due to operational failures and poor execution.

The report identified issues including inconsistent application of hardship policies, missing or misleading customer communications, and continued enforcement activity against vulnerable consumers when it should have ceased.

AFCA said the findings highlighted growing importance of operational systems, oversight mechanisms and escalation processes in ensuring firms appropriately respond to vulnerable customers.