AFCA grows exec team ahead of remit expansion

Binaya Dahal

Editorial Intern, Financial Newswire

3 March 2026

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has announced the appointments of three new C-suite executives, a move the organisation says will strengthen its ability to manage the sustained high volume of complaints, help streamline the complaints process and make its services easier to use.

The appointments come as AFCA prepares to take on new responsibilities as the authorised External Dispute Resolution scheme under the Federal Government’s Scams Prevention Framework, which will introduce a new line of business for the organisation requiring enhanced capabilities, systems and cross-sector coordination.

Among the appointees, Deborah Jenkins has been named the organisation’s inaugural Chief Customer Officer, Stevie-Ann Dovico joins as its first Chief Technology Officer, and Brigid Parsonson has been formally appointed Chief Operating Officer after acting in the role since early 2025.

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Ombudsman at AFCA, David Locke said the new appointments ensure AFCA has the right expertise in place to prepare for the future and meet the needs of the community.

“The demand for our service is as strong as ever and cases are becoming increasingly complex, but at the very core, we are helping people dealing with a financial issue and we know that can be very stressful for people,” he said.

“Our new leaders bring perspective, deep experience and a strong commitment to public purpose – exactly what AFCA needs as we enter our next phase of growth and continue delivering for the community.”

Jenkins boasts a wealth of senior leadership experience across major regulators, and said she was excited to use her experience to make clients feel supported, fairly treated and heard.

“I’m motivated by AFCA’s industry-wide impact and its use of data to strengthen consumer protection, deliver insights and deliver better outcomes,” she said.

Dovico, who brings close to 20 years of senior technology leadership experience across major banks and a large mutual, said the role provided a chance to make a meaningful contribution in society.

“AFCA’s work is grounded in purpose, and there is real opportunity to use technology to strengthen its services, improve accessibility and deliver better outcomes for the people who rely on us,” she said.

Parsonson, who first joined AFCA in 2019 and has played a key role in shaping the organisation’s growth and leading major enterprise, said she looks forward to building on the organisation’s strong foundations.

“As our jurisdiction expands, my focus remains on strengthening our operations and supporting our people so we can continue delivering fair, timely and high-quality outcomes,” she said.

The non-government ombudsman service established in 2018 said it received 100,000 complaints from consumers and small businesses in each of the past two financial years and is on track to exceed 110,000 this year.