Phil Cain Chief Ombudsman Phil joined the Legal Ombudsman in February 2026, bringing over 37 years of public service experience to the role of Chief Ombudsman. He began his career in the Royal Air Force, serving nearly 13 years and earning the General Service Medal with two bars for his service in Northern Ireland and Air Operations Iraq. After joining North Yorkshire Police in 2001, Phil progressed through a series of senior and executive roles, including Deputy Chief Constable. He led complex investigations, oversaw professional standards and public protection, and managed a multi-million-pound transformation programme integrating business support functions across North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Services. As the National Police Chief’s Council lead for Workforce Representation & Diversity, Phil developed national initiatives to improve diversity and inclusion within UK policing. His distinguished service was recognised with the King’s Police Medal in 2022. Most recently, Phil served as Executive Director at the Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority, where he led a successful transformation of UK-wide operational delivery, improving services for vulnerable workers and advancing equality, diversity, and inclusion across the organisation.
