Elizabeth Fairburn

CCO & Exec Coach | Transforming Services, Cultures & Leaders Across Housing, Government & FS | Purpose, Empathy & Grit | Backing Teams to Deliver

Leeds, England, United Kingdom

About

A passionate, energetic and inspiring people leader, renowned for the ability to champion change and transformation especially in underperforming teams or functions with a need for significant cultural revolution. A global thought leader who finds and utilises the latest thinking in organisational design and effectiveness to create a shift in behaviours and performance. An emotionally intelligent role model who believes in creating diverse and inclusive cultures where people are inspired to bring their best selves to work and have fun whilst delivering the most incredible customer experiences.

Experience

  • Chief Customer Officer at Riverside
    Apr 2025 - Present · 1 yr 3 mos

  • Customer Experience Director at Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
    Mar 2022 - Apr 2025 · 3 yrs 2 mos

  • Direct Line Group (Full-time · 10 yrs 3 mos)
    • Head of Household Claims
      Jul 2017 - Mar 2022 · 4 yrs 9 mos

    • Head of Claims Customer Experience
      Jan 2012 - Jul 2017 · 5 yrs 7 mos

      Accountable for defining, measuring and improving the claims customer experience across a portfolio of high profile brands in a complex, multi faceted environment, to deliver significant performance improvements

  • Lombard Asset Finance (National)
    • Programme Manager /Interim Head of World Class
      Jan 2011 - Jan 2012 · 1 yr 1 mo

      To deliver Lombard’s strategic ambition of becoming World Class for their customers and people through the leading and management of a number of key work streams • Working closely with delivery managers, capability owners and key stakeholders across Lombard and externally to define and execute on the ‘World Class’ plan for the organisation. • Responsible for delivering all the world class capabilities across the business alongside the wider world class engagement strategy • Co-ordinate governance activity across the programme ensuring timely reporting to the appropriate governance boards • Successfully manage the expectations and needs of sponsors and key stakeholders • Use a range of influencing styles to win active support, commitment and to build momentum for initiatives and strategies • Overall responsibility for the engagement strategy for Lombard and the world class programme

    • Head of Customer Experience
      Nov 2008 - Dec 2010 · 2 yrs 2 mos

      Responsible for a team of 5 people (Complaint Manager, 2 x Business Analyst & Service Improvement Manager) • Develop, implement and manage research solutions across the business to ensure the experience is measured accurately • Working with each directorate to identify and address service shortfalls • Develop a network of ‘customer champions’ to support the cultural evolution • Responsible for all TCF activity and reporting across the organisation • Responsible for ensuring the quality of complaint handling and associated redress spend • Relationship management of external research companies in order to understand the customer experience. Focusing on the quality and usability of the research output to develop a fit for purpose research solutions

  • RBS Insurance (3 yrs 10 mos)
    • Customer Service Excellence Manager
      Jan 2007 - Oct 2008 · 1 yr 10 mos

      Reported to Director of Customer Operations. Role spanned across all claims functions (8,000 people) and including all insurance products. Developing and implementing mechanisms to ensure the accurate and timely measurement of the customer experience ensuring that the voice of the customer underpins all business decisions. Responsible for driving service improvements to support the strategic objective of becoming a ‘World Class’ organization. Identifying opportunities to differentiate our service and working with key stakeholders to drive the necessary changes to realize the strategies.

    • Customer Operations Manager
      Jan 2005 - Sep 2007 · 2 yrs 9 mos

      Role within Customer Assistance Services (claims) dealing mainly with partnership brands such as Tesco, Renault and BMW. Responsible for up to 150 staff including phone based advisers, team leaders, business co-ordinators and administration staff. Managing teams at multiple sites.