alternative dispute resolution

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority has hired Anna Campbell as the financial dispute resolution organization's first ever general counsel.

Campbell, a former lawyer and manager for the Sydney-based Australian Securities Exchange, joins AFCA about a year after its launch as a replacement for three now-defunct external dispute resolution entities: the Financial Ombudsman Service, Credit and Investments Ombudsman and Superannuation Complaints Tribunal. 

Since its creation, AFCA has received more than 73,000 complaints from Australians in disputes with banks and other financial firms and has awarded $185 million in compensation. So far, the non-government agency, which is headquartered in Melbourne, has resolved nearly 80% of claims within 60 days. 

Campbell noted in a prepared statement announcing her appointment Monday that the "AFCA operates in a complex and changing environment, and the functions of corporate governance and risk are more important than ever. 

"I am excited about the challenge and look forward to shaping the way AFCA delivers it legal and compliance functions," she added. Her hiring follows an announcement earlier this month that AFCA had appointed a chief operating officer. 

During her more than 18 years at the Australian Securities Exchange, Campbell served as deputy general counsel and, later, as general manager of enterprise compliance. She managed outside legal counsel and oversaw regulatory and privacy issues for the exchange group, which is among the world's top 10 by market capitalization. 

Earlier in her career, Campbell served as assistant director for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, an independent authority of the Australian government that enforces consumer protection legislation, according to her LinkedIn profile. 

She also had a stint as a corporate lawyer and acting group general counsel for Allianz, a global German financial services company.

David Locke, the AFCA's CEO and chief ombudsman, said Campbell's "cross-sector and regulatory experience, along with her knowledge of the financial services sector means she is exceptionally well placed to provide expert advice on complex legal matters, corporate governance and risk management to AFCA."