Helping Customers in Financial Difficulty Conference 2025

Caroline's background has always been in customer service - and over the last 35 + years (with 20 of those at the Financial Ombudsman Service), she has significant experience in dispute resolution, senior operational leadership, consumer vulnerability and customer experience.

Caroline runs her own consultancy business, working directly with firms and organisations across the private and public sector on all things customer service related. As well as holding a number of appointed and senior advisory roles, she also works in partnership with UK Finance to bring her real-life and current experience to members, from practical training for frontline staff to strategy-focused sessions for those overseeing customer service and complaints functions. This year Caroline was recognised on the 2025 Industry Leaders List; for her contribution to positive industry change and making a measurable difference to dispute resolution in debt recovery and enforcement.  

Martin joined StepChange in September 2024 as Chief Operating Officer. He leads the charities Client facing Operations, covering all Debt Advice and Client Support services. In addition, he is the executive sponsor for the charities Digital Transformation and Back Office Optimisation programmes. He is passionate about ensuring good client outcomes enabled by Digital First services, powered by trusted experts, for all who access StepChange services. Martin has more than 35 years’ experience in Financial Services, most notably leading Mortgage Operations for Barclays Bank, where he led a number of significant Transformation programmes, positively impacting both customer experience and organisational efficiency.
Martin lives in Nottingham with his wife and is a keen walker, cyclist and follower of Sheffield United and Yorkshire cricket.

Anne has worked as a consumer advocate for close to 15 years, working to have a positive impact for consumers across a wide range of markets from second hand cars to heat networks. She is currently Head of Policy at Citizens Advice with a wide-ranging consumer brief which includes financial services and debt, postal services, water, telecoms and housing. 
 

Chris Cox is the Head of Data & AI, Global Financial Services at AWS. In this role, he works with AWS's largest financial services customers to help them transform their businesses using Data & AI technology. Chris has 25 years' experience in financial services, including roles at Barclays, NatWest, HSBC and Accenture. Prior to joining AWS in 2024, Chris spent eight years as the CIO at the Bank for International Settlements in Switzerland. Chris holds a PhD in AI from the University of Southampton and maintains active research interests in machine learning and multi-agent systems.

PayPlan CEO since 2014. Highly respected within the debt solutions industry, combining extensive experience, a customer-centric approach and effective leadership.

George Lagarias is currently the Chief Economist at Mazars Wealth Management and a permanent member of the firm’s investment committee. He joined the firm in 2016. George has 20 years’ experience in financial markets as an economist, analyst, investment strategist economist and fund manager with a background in Private Banking, Asset Management and Wealth Management.

He has worked for British asset managers EFG and Close Brothers as well as Greek private banks Alpha Bank and Eurobank and wealth manager Marfin.

Tim is a behavioural scientist with over 10 years of experience advising banks, building societies, and regulators on the practical implications of behavioural science. Tim has supported firms on their communications and journeys across the full range of retail banking markets. Tim has conducted behavioural experiments for organisations including the FCA, FSCS, and Amazon.

Fairer Finance is an independent consumer group and ratings provider whose mission is to help create a financial services market that is fair for consumers as well as the companies that serve them. With a heritage spanning over a decade, it regularly engages with regulators, government, and industry bodies, helping to influence and shape new pieces of legislation and regulation.

Jenny’s extensive experience in the application of Behavioural Science coupled with her academic study at the London School of Economics, has allowed her to help some of the UK’s biggest financial brands transform their customer experiences. Her understanding of Behavioural Science is key in her role as both a Comms Strategist and Copywriter – where she creates award-winning content, customer journeys, and treatment strategies for a variety of clients.

Michael Jackson is the Vice Chair of the High Court Enforcement Officers Association and the Director of High Court Services at Marston Recovery. In his role at Marston, he oversees the effective enforcement of judgments.

With roots as a Sheriff's Officer since the early 1980s, Michael is a seasoned High Court Enforcement Officer with decades of hands-on experience in enforcing writs across a wide range of circumstances.
A longstanding member of the High Court Enforcement Officers Association (formerly the Sheriff's Officers Association), he currently serves as Vice Chair. Over the years, he has held key roles in areas such as complaints and finance and has contributed to initiatives focused on education, best practice, and collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and the Enforcement Conduct Board.