FSCS restructuring welcomes new appointments and says farewell to veteran director Alex Kuczynski

FSCS today announces a restructuring of parts of its organisation to bring together closely related business activities, to enable better operational focus and to ensure that effective services continue to be delivered for the benefit of all our key stakeholders. The main changes include

  • the merging of our Communications and Marketing Teams, comprising Public Relations, Stakeholder Relations and Public Affairs, Regulatory Policy, International Liaison & Research, and Marketing. Lila Pleban, formerly Head of Digital & Marketing, has been appointed Interim Chief Communications and Marketing Officer (CCMO) as of 1 April 2020.
  • the creation of a Chief Counsel Team, comprising Legal & Recoveries, Company Secretariat, and Quality Assurance. James Darbyshire, formerly General Counsel, has been appointed Interim Chief Counsel, as of 1 April 2020.

Caroline Rainbird, FSCS's CEO, said, “I welcome Lila and James warmly to the FSCS Executive Team. James’s seasoned legal expertise and many years’ service makes him an obvious choice for the interim role of Chief Counsel. Lila’s drive and enthusiasm in greatly upgrading FSCS’s interaction with customers means she is well-placed to take our external communications to the next level.

I am confident that our new structure will enable FSCS to enhance our vital service to customers, industry and stakeholders, especially during this critical time.”

This restructuring sees FSCS saying farewell and paying tribute to Alex Kuczynski. Alex was FSCS’s longest-serving senior executive. In a career spanning over 20 years Alex took on a number of roles, most recently Chief Corporate Affairs Officer.

Caroline Rainbird said, “Alex made an immeasurable contribution not only to the life of FSCS but to the wider regulatory family and beyond. He led FSCS’s responses to major financial services failures across many sectors, including the 2008 financial crisis. Internationally, Alex represented FSCS and the UK financial authorities and was a highly-active and well-regarded contributor to several international stakeholder bodies.

His calm leadership, encyclopaedic knowledge, and selfless dedication has contributed to FSCS being able to deliver for customers for 20 years. Alex’s reassuring daily presence, warmth and humour will be sorely missed by our staff. We wish him all the best for an equally impressive future.”

Alex Kuczynski said, “It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work at the Scheme. FSCS fulfils an important role in protecting the consumer and is able to make a difference for good for so many people every day.  I know that going forward the Scheme will continue to deliver, overcoming whatever challenges might arise, and exceed expectations. I wish it every success.”

To obtain a high-resolution picture of Alex Kuczynski, James Darbyshire or Lila Pleban, please email publicrelations@fscs.org.uk.

 

Media enquiries
Suzette Browne
T: 020 7375 8633
M: 07500 842747

Anthony Ozimic
T: 020 7375 8638
M: 07939 177683

E: publicrelations@fscs.org.uk

Notes for editors
Read more about the remit of FSCS on our Notes for editors page.