After 25 years with the Financial Rights Legal, Karen Cox will be stepping down as CEO, the Financial Rights Legal Centre Board announced today. Ms Cox will remain at Financial Rights for the remainder of 2025 to allow for a smooth transition for the incoming CEO, for whom recruitment will begin shortly.
Chair Natalie Pozdeev thanked Ms Cox for her significant contribution not just to Financial Rights, but for her leadership in the broader consumer movement.
“Karen has been a pillar of the consumer movement for decades, championing not just the rights of consumers to get a fair outcome in disputes, but making financial services fairer and safer for all Australians” said Chair Natalie Pozdeev. “Under her stewardship, Financial Rights has grown from a small specialist centre of under 10 employees to a multi-service organisation that provides much needed supports to consumers in NSW and nationally”.
Ms Cox oversaw the expansion of services offered at Financial Rights, including the integration of legal assistance and financial counselling. Financial Rights supports NSW consumers through the National Debt Helpline and associated legal assistance, provides vital support for consumers through the national Insurance Law Service, and auspices the national Mob Strong Debt Help service for First Nations consumers.
Among Ms Cox’s most significant achievements was advocating for the elevation of credit regulation to the national level, bringing disparate and uneven state-based regimes to a level playing field. Karen was instrumental in the campaign for responsible lending obligations and a maximum interest rate for consumer lending, contributed to major improvements in consumer protection in personal insolvency and credit reporting, and pioneered a bankruptcy toolkit for lawyers and financial counsellors to get up to date advice to provide people facing the prospect of bankruptcy. Karen was also first witness to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.
Ms Pozdeev said: “Few people will forget Karen’s evidence as first witness to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry, where she detailed the systemic misconduct endemic at the time, and the harm being sustained by Financial Rights clients”.
Ms Cox said: “After 25 years, it is time for me to start a new chapter. My time here at Financial Rights has meant a lot to me and I am very proud of how much we have achieved together. My successor will be taking charge of an organisation full of talented, passionate and committed people, who are ready to carry on our important work.”
The Board will shortly begin the process of recruiting a new CEO, and will look internally and externally. Further recruitment details will be published on our website.
