The Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI), the dispute-resolution service for Canada’s financial services industry, has named four new public directors to its board.
OBSI’s four new directors include Laura Tamblyn Watts, a lawyer who specializes in elder law and a former member of OBSI’s consumer and investor advisory council; Catherine Adams, a retired financial services industry executive; Carmela Haines, an accountant who is vice president, finance and administration, with Access Communications Co-operative Ltd.; and Bharat Mahajan, also an accountant and vice president, finance and chief financial officer of Aveda Transportation and Energy Services Inc.
“These individuals bring a wealth of talent and I am encouraged by their enthusiasm for OBSI’s mandate, helping to resolve financial disputes between Canadians and their banks and investment firms,” says Fernand Bélisle, OBSI’s chairman in a statement.
The new public directors replace four outgoing public directors who have now completed their terms: Adrian Burns, Angela Ferrante, Ian Lightstone, and Louise Martel). The new directors were elected at OBSI’s annual general meeting on Feb. 29 in Toronto.
OBSI is currently undergoing an independent review of its operations and, particularly, its practices for dealing with investment-related complaints. A draft report on the review is due by March 31, with a final report expected by mid-May.