Former AAMI CEO Robert Belleville has been appointed as a director of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), replacing former Insurance Council of Australia CEO Kerrie Kelly.

Mr Belleville brings more than 40 years of insurance industry experience to the nine-strong FOS board, whose members represent both consumers and the financial services industry.

He was CEO of AAMI from 2002-06, Promina Direct Division CEO from 2004-07, and Suncorp Group Executive Personal Insurance from 2007-08.

Ironically, the person who replaced Ms Kelly as CEO of ICA, Robert Whelan, formerly answered to Mr Belleville within Suncorp. It has been the practice in the past for the ICA CEO to represent the industry on the FOS board and its predecessors.

Mr Belleville says the appointment is “a natural extension from my previous roles”.

“In running AAMI we were oriented around customers but also paid regard to the need to perform. I hope to achieve a good balance between the needs of an organisation and equally the need to deliver for the customer.”