Ombudsman's office, 2010 - 2011 (Allan Asher)
Allan Asher was Commonwealth Ombudsman for the period 30 August 2010 to 28 October 2011.
He has been an outspoken consumer advocate for some 40 years.
Before becoming Ombudsman, Mr Asher was the inaugural chief executive officer of the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), the peak advocacy body for communications consumers.
Prior to ACCAN, Mr Asher spent ten years in the UK, as Director of Campaigns and Communication with the Consumers' Association, and as a board member of the Office of Fair Trading. He also worked for the global non-government organisation, Consumers International, and from 2003 to 2008 was CEO of Energy Watch, which protected consumer rights in a deregulated energy market.
At Energy Watch (now part of Consumer Focus), he helped curb inappropriate conduct by energy companies that included cutting off customers' power during Britain's freezing winters and using thugs to bully people into signing unconscionable contracts.
Before leaving for Britain in 2000, Mr Asher spent ten years at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) as Deputy Chairperson and Consumer Protection Commissioner.
Earlier in his career he spent 10 years at the Australian Consumers' Association.
Mr Asher studied law at The University of Sydney, and is admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor to the High Court.