Paul McFadden took on his role as Scottish Public Services Ombudsman in October 2025.
Previously, Paul was the Chief Legal Ombudsman for England and Wales from 2021, providing independent investigation and oversight of legal services and delivering significant transformation through that period.
With almost two decades of senior experience in Ombudsman and investigation roles in Scotland and across the UK, Paul brings a deep understanding of public sector oversight to the SPSO, including leading a number of Ombudsman organisations through significant transformation and growth.
He previously served as Acting Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (NIPSO) and Local Government Commissioner for Standards, with oversight of Northern Ireland’s public services and local government conduct, after serving as Deputy for four years.
Paul established and headed up the SPSO’s Complaints Standards Authority from 2010 to 2016, leading SPSO’s work to improve culture and complaints handling across Scotland’s public bodies and integrating a range of new sectors and statutory functions to SPSO’s remit.
Paul also helped lead the successful establishment of the Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland, delivering Scotland’s first independent police complaint investigations, and the first UK Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration.