Ombudsman & Staff
The Ombudsman is appointed by the Board of Directors, and must be independent of both industry and government.
The appointment of the Ombudsman is made on a renewable term of up to five years. The Ombudsman cannot have worked for a self-regulatory organization or been closely associated with a participating firm for five years prior to appointment.
OUR PEOPLE
OBSI's experienced and professional staff is drawn from a variety of fields and disciplines such as law, accounting, finance, banking and investments. Our staff are committed to conscientious, fair and timely dispute resolution, which is evident in their dealings with all parties.
We currently have full and part-time staff members across Canada. Our team of Consumer Assistance Officers responds to the thousands of initial inquiries and complaints that are received by phone, email, online, letters and faxes each year. We have two teams of assessment staff and investigators, one for Banking Services and the other for Investments, responsible for reviewing files in depth. Each is headed by a Deputy Ombudsman. Our Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations oversees outreach and communications activities while our Manager of Administration is responsible for overseeing the office.
SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM
Sarah P. Bradley
Ombudsman and CEO
Sarah Bradley is the Ombudsman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI). Prior to this, Ms. Bradley was Chair and CEO of the Nova Scotia Securities Commission. She is former Vice Chair of the Canadian Securities Administrators, and has been a member of the North American Association of Securities Regulators and a representative on the Canadian Joint Forum of Financial Regulators. Ms. Bradley is a lawyer by profession. She spent several years as an Associate Professor at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. She received her Honours Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Toronto, her Bachelor of Laws degree from Queen’s University and her Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School. She was called to the bar in Ontario, Nova Scotia and New York and practiced law in Toronto and Halifax.
Robert Paddick
Deputy Ombudsman
Mr. Paddick is a Deputy Ombudsman, overseeing investments and banking complaints. He is a member of the Ontario bar, and holds a B.Sc (Hons) from the University of Western Ontario and a law degree from Queen's University. Mr. Paddick joined OBSI as a Senior Investigator in 2003 and was promoted to Deputy Ombudsman in 2006. Prior to joining OBSI, Mr. Paddick was Director, Mutual Fund Compliance and in-house counsel at a large national mutual fund dealer. Before entering the financial services industry he practiced law in Ottawa.
Mark Wright
Director, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Mr. Wright is the Director, Communications and Stakeholder Relations. He is responsible for stakeholder relations, communications, strategic planning and policy development. He also acts as Chief Compliance Officer. Mr. Wright has more than 20-years of experience in progressively senior communications roles within the Canadian financial services sector. He has a BA in English from York University and Certificate in Public Relations from Ryerson University.
Marjolaine Mandeville
Director, Finance & Administration
Mme Mandeville joined OBSI in 2006 as the Manager of Administration. She is responsible for the administration of the office including tracking OBSI's adherence to budget targets, the maintenance and renewal of OBSI's Information Technology infrastructure, and allocating, invoicing and collecting participating firm fees. Originally from Québec, Mme Mandeville has over fifteen years of experience in similar positions at SNC-Lavalin Nexacor, Realty Management Inc. and PC DOCS Group International.
Cheryl Shkurhan
Director, Policy & IT
Ms. Shkurhan is Director, Policy & IT. She is responsible for the development and implementation of OBSI’s information technology platform and operational policies, as well as providing strategic direction on operational plans and project management for key initiatives. She also acts as OBSI’s Privacy Officer. Ms. Shkurhan joined OBSI in 2004 as a Senior Investigator and was promoted to Manager, Investigations to lead an investigations team soon after. She has extensive experience in the financial services sector, having held positions in both banking and investment sectors, including several years as Chief Compliance Officer at a mutual fund dealer before joining OBSI. She has a BA in economics from Wilfrid Laurier University, previously practiced as a Certified Financial Planner, and held the Chartered Investment Manager designation through the Canadian Securities Institute.
Grace McSorley
Deputy Ombudsman
Grace McSorley is a Deputy Ombudsman, overseeing teams who investigate investment and banking complaints. She is a member of the Ontario and New York bar and holds a B.A. from the University of Toronto, St. Michael’s College, and a law degree from the University of Ottawa, through which she spent a term as a visiting student at the University of Hong Kong Law School. After being called to the Bar, Ms. McSorley practiced law at firms in Toronto and New York and then joined a major Canadian financial institution as in house counsel, and then as Executive Director in Wealth Management.