AMF : Welcome to the AMF Ombudsman’s Office

Who is the AMF Ombudsman?

The AMF Ombudsman is Marielle Cohen-Branche. She was a judge on special assignment to the Court of Cassation with responsibility for banking and financial law since March 2003, Ms Cohen-Branche was also a member of the AMF Enforcement Committee until 2011. Her term of office in both posts ended in January 2011.

Marielle Cohen-Branche previously worked for 25 years as a legal expert in the banking industry. In particular she was Head of Legal Affairs and Litigation at Crédit Agricole d’Île-de-France from 1993 to January 2003.

As Ombudsman, she relies on a team of legal experts led by François Denis du Péage, head of the mediation unit at the AMF’s Retail Investor Relations Directorate.

What is the Ombudsman’s status?

Since 2011 the Ombudsman reports directly to the AMF Chairman and is appointed for a three-year renewable term. He or she receives no instructions on how to handle cases. The Ombudsman publishes an annual report reviewing the cases dealt with during the previous year.

What are the advantages of the mediation procedure?

Mediation is:

• free of charge
• confidential: the information and documents exchanged during the mediation procedure, the names of the parties involved and the Ombudsman’s recommendation may not be disclosed
• impartial: the Ombudsman acts entirely independently
• quick: in principle, the mediation process takes three months from the time when the parties provide the Ombudsman with all the necessary information
• non-binding: the Ombudsman makes a recommendation but the parties are free to reject it
• in accordance with law and equity (fair, equal and equitable).