The Department for Work and Pensions has announced Dominic Harris, partner at law firm CMS, as the preferred candidate for the Pensions Ombudsman.
The nomination is subject to a pre-appointment hearing by the Work and Pensions committee, which will take place on July 13, the DWP said.
Besides being a partner at CMS pensions team, Harris also serves as chair of the Investment and Defined Contribution Committee of the Association of Pension Lawyers.
If successful, Harris will be replacing Anthony Arter, which saw his term extended by one year in July 2021 – which terminates on August 1 2022 – after no suitable candidates had been found for the role.
FTAdviser's sister publication Pensions Expert reported in February that DWP subsequently amended its hiring criteria for the role, removing the requirement that any candidate applying must be a legally qualified solicitor or barrister.
During Arter’s tenure, the Pensions Ombudsman has undergone significant growth in recent years and taken on new responsibilities, such as absorbing the dispute resolution function of the Pensions Advisory Service.
The role of Pensions Ombudsman is a public appointment made by the Secretary of State for the DWP, and the position is a full-time role with an annual remuneration of £143,095, which is uprated annually.
Maria Espadinha is the editor of Pensions Expert, FTAdviser's sister publication
