Eversheds consultant Anthony Arter has been named as the “preferred candidate” for the role of pensions ombudsman and Pensions Protection Fund ombudsman, which is always held by the same individual.
Mr Arter is a consultant at law firm Eversheds, he was head of its pension group and London senior partner until April last year, when he retired.
The Department for Work and Pensions announced that his appointment is now subject to a pre-appointment hearing by the Work and Pensions Select Committee taking place on 11 February.
The purpose of the hearing is to assess the candidate’s suitability for the role, including their independence and expertise, and their ability to withstand public and parliamentary scrutiny, the Work and Pensions Select Committee said.
In October Tony King, pensions ombudsman, announced his intention to step down from the post to pursue other interests, having been in the post since September 2007.
Pensions minister Steve Webb said that Mr Arter brings with him considerable knowledge of pensions, legal matters and a wealth of experience in community relationships.
“I also want to restate my thanks to Tony King. During his tenure, he successfully transformed the Pensions Ombudsman – improving its customer service and modernising the organisation to meet new challenges.”
The pensions ombudsman is a public appointment made by the Secretary of State for the DWP and has been an open competition regulated by the Office for the Commissioner of Public Appointments.
peter.walker@ft.com
