What’s your current role and what do you do in it? 

I joined Opus Restructuring LLP in January 2017 as a Manager in the London office. Since then, I have progressed through the ranks, and I am now a Director.

I am a qualified chartered accountant and insolvency practitioner (passing my exams in 2015) and a fellow of the Association of Accounting Technicians and Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

A corporate recovery and insolvency specialist, with 19 years’ experience, I have been involved in over 150 assignments, including around 50 Administrations and pre-pack Administrations, since joining Opus. 

Other case types that I have worked on include CVLs, WUCs and Scheme Trusts as well as MVL’s, LPA Receiverships and personal insolvencies. I enjoy the challenge of advising clients and managing cases which span across all industries, from building contractors to life sciences and mining companies.

How did you get to where you are today?

I started my career at the age of 18 at Moore Stephens LLP having made the decision not to go to university. I spent the first 11.5 years of my career there, listening and learning from my colleagues. This included understanding not only insolvency but also simple things such as how to conduct yourself in an office environment. There are areas of my work, even today, where I can see the influence of former colleagues/mentors. 

At the start of my career there were times where I felt that I was ‘chucked in at the deep end’ but it was these moments which helped me develop and know that I wanted a career in insolvency. Doing things outside of your comfort zone, although scary, can help with personal growth and development.

What made you decide to pursue a career in insolvency and restructuring? 

Like a lot of insolvency practitioners (and others in the industry), the phrase ‘I fell into it’ is used a lot, and this is no different for me. After considering a career in law, I stumbled across an advert for a junior administrator in insolvency and went for it. 

Once in the role, I realised that it encompasses a lot of different skills in a niche area, including legal aspects, commerciality and dealing with people and having compassion. This multifaceted role, where no day is the same, helped in making the decision to develop a career.

Why did you become a D&I Champion? 

I wanted to be a part of a group of likeminded individuals in the industry and to be part of an initiative pushing for change and representation. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I think it is important to share my experiences and mentor those who find themselves in a similar situation, letting them know that they have someone to talk to. 

Which aspect of the role is most important to you and why? 

As a gay man in the insolvency world, it is being a role model for queer individuals, leading from the front and mentoring those people as and when I am able and assisting in implementing change from the top down. 

As a whole, I would say good representation and the industry continuing to grow its awareness of the diverse country that we live in. We need to continue to learn and grow, keep our minds open and pass this forward for future generations. 

What are the best examples of EDI initiatives you have seen in the profession? 

The initiatives from the larger firms have been fascinating to listen to. One, in particular, was a calendar that details ALL religious holidays and provided a summary of what they are and why they are celebrated. A great and simple example of educating people who want to learn and helping to build an understanding of other cultures.

I think that initiatives that include representative groups is a great idea, albeit not necessarily the easiest thing to maintain in smaller firms.

What EDI initiatives have you benefitted from in your firm? 

When I joined Opus, it was a young firm with a couple of offices and the founding partners. Although there were no official initiatives in place, I did not come across any prejudice or negativity in applying for a job or working at Opus. 

As Opus has grown, this ethos has continued but we are also adding to the policies that we have in place, and I would like to continue my role in helping this develop. 

We started a Meet Opus page on LinkedIn that is part of our Company page to demonstrate what we do from a non-business perspective to show more personal side of the firm and culture within the business to help support and back up the official policies and who we say we are as a firm. 

What’s the one thing you would like to see the profession do differently when it comes to EDI? 

The profession is already looking to expand its reach to promote the industry as a rewarding career and I hope that this continues to bring in diverse candidates. 

I would also like to see better information sharing to highlight consistency across the profession. Having a central point to help all organisations, regardless of size, can only improve what we are all trying to achieve. 

There are others but it says one so I will leave it there for now.