Meet the Team

Who is John professionally?

John was a partner of Smith Dove, Chartered Accountants before completing a management buy-out with two other colleagues of the insolvency department in 2001 to form BRI. John is one of four directors of BRI, operating from the Northampton office and is a qualified accountant.

What makes John stand out?

With over 35 years’ experience of dealing with insolvency related matters, John has advised on a variety of corporate and personal situations, both in terms of their complexity and size. A significant number of the assignments have resulted in the client avoiding an insolvency procedure and have continued to trade on successfully.

In his free time…

Outside of work John is a keen cyclist and follows the Leicester Tigers.

Who is Lauren professionally?

Lauren joined BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency in 2006 and became a director in 2021. Lauren manages our head office in Northampton and is a licensed insolvency practitioner and a member of the Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA).

What makes Lauren stand out?

Lauren has helped many business owners and directors deal with very challenging situations and regularly assists with problem solving and informal negotiations to try to help avoid the need for a formal insolvency process. However, if an insolvency process is required, Lauren is very experienced in dealing with all aspects of personal and corporate insolvency appointments.

Lauren also has a lot of experience dealing with solvent members’ voluntary liquidations for owner managed businesses.

In her free time…

Outside of work Lauren enjoys cooking, exercising and spending time with her two young children.

Who is Tom professionally?

Tom is a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner who has experience in dealing with a range of business turnaround and corporate insolvency scenarios. He joined the restructuring and insolvency industry in 2004, where he initially focused on becoming a qualified Chartered Certified accountant, which provided him with good understanding of business accounting. He then went on to enhance his expertise by becoming a qualified insolvency practitioner. He joined BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency in 2014 to oversee and grow our Milton Keynes office. He became a director of the company in 2021.

What makes Tom stand out?

Over the years Tom has developed an honest and approachable style when dealing with business owners and individuals that find themselves in financial difficulties. He appreciates nobody starts out in business wanting to end up having a conversation with an insolvency practitioner, therefore he simply wants to help those that find themselves struggling with financial pressures.

He has dealt with a number of large distressed companies that require an immediate rescue plan to be implemented. Through the constructive use of informal and formal insolvency procedures, he is able to implement rescue plans for the benefit of the whole range of stakeholders impacted by the threat of insolvency. He specialises in dealing with companies with intellectual property and is focused on preserving the value of a company’s intangible assets.

Tom’s accountancy background is a big advantage when working with business owners and their business advisors when exploring the option of solvently winding up their company via a members’ voluntary liquidation.

In his free time…

You will often find Tom having a dance off with his daughter in the kitchen or kicking a ball about with his son. When he does find time for himself, he continues what seems to be his never ending attempt at getting a hole in one on a golf course. His main interest in recent years is American Football and is a big fan of Philadelphia Eagles (Fly, Eagles Fly!).

A random fact about Tom, he represented Wales in junior MasterChef and is a 4th generation beekeeper in the Guthrie family.

Who is John professionally?

John joined BRI in 2005 and spent a number of years at head office in Northampton before moving to Coventry. John is a Licenced Insolvency Practitioner, qualified Chartered Certified Accountant and member of NARA (The Association of Property and Fixed Charge Receivers).

What makes John stand out?

When a potential client calls for advice the details around each situation can differ significantly. John’s ability to listen, understand the problems being faced and present a set of options with practical considerations make John stand out. John has significant experience in both product and service based industries acting for insolvent and solvent clients alike.

In his free time?

Outside of work John can often be found on his road bike, a very occasional trip to the mountains for snowboarding or more often acting as Dad’s taxi for his two daughters.

Who is Alastair professionally?

Alastair is a licensed insolvency practitioner and has previously worked in practice as a Chartered Certified Accountant. He has been working in insolvency since 2005, initially working at Grant Thornton and BDO. With wide ranging experience in helping businesses struggling financially together with corporate insolvency scenarios, Alastair joined BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency in May 2022 to oversee and grow our Hitchin office.

What makes Alastair stand out?

Over the years, Alastair has worked collaboratively with business owners and their chosen advisors, often to help save a viable business from a formal insolvency process. As part of this process, he has liaised with both lenders and finance brokers to obtain the required funding for ongoing trade. He has also undertaken independent business reviews and strategic reviews for a number of businesses. However, if an insolvency process is required, Alastair is very experienced in dealing with all aspects of formal insolvency appointments.

Alastair also has a lot of experience dealing with members’ voluntary liquidations (or solvent liquidations) for owners who wish to extract cash tax-efficiently from their company or limited liability partnership.

In his free time…

Outside of work Alastair is often either on a tennis court or in a gym exercising. Alastair also enjoys quality time with his two children.

Who is Jocelyn professionally?

Jocelyn joined BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency in 2013 as a trainee and became a senior administrator in 2018. Jocelyn has gained a wealth of experience in corporate insolvency processes and is based at our head office in Northampton.

What makes Jocelyn stand out?

Jocelyn has a lot of experience dealing with solvent members’ voluntary liquidations for owner managed businesses as well as insolvent liquidations and informal negotiations with creditors. She is very organised and forward thinking with a great eye for detail which brings order to what can be a stressful situation for our clients.

In her free time…

Outside of work Jocelyn spends most of her free time helping on the family farm as well as riding and looking after her horses.

Who is Bob professionally?

Bob joined BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency in 2012 after studying Accounting and Finance at the University of Northampton. Bob passed the Certificate of Proficiency in Insolvency qualification in 2016 and is currently studying for his JIEB qualification.

What makes Bob stand out?

Bob enjoys problem solving and working out the best possible routes for directors and, in turn, helping them decide on their options going forward. He has also dealt with a number of insolvent liquidations with a high amount of distressed creditors where taking the calm and honest approach in notifying them about the insolvency processes and where they stand is always at the forefront of his mind. Bob helps clients to understand the different outcomes for them at both ends of the solvency/insolvency spectrum.

In his free time…

Outside of work Bob enjoys playing football for his Sunday League team and is also pretty handy at the game of chess to which he plays socially (he was the Northamptonshire County Champion when he was 10 years old).

Who is Chris professionally?

With a long history in insolvency (starting in 1998!) and plenty of mid-tier experience Chris joined BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency in March 2015. Having joined as an administrator Chris soon settled, working his way up at the firm to his current position heading up the Spalding office, while obtaining his CPI and Personal paper JIEB qualifications in the process (results on the corporate JIEB to follow in March this year).

What makes Chris stand out?

Greatly experienced in dealing with queries from all level of stakeholders in insolvency processes, Chris has the ability to speak with any concerned individual with empathy and understanding which helps to produce the right outcome for whoever requires his assistance.

Chris has taken and managed many new enquiries and matters in respect of both solvent and insolvent matters and is a safe pair of hands in either situation.

In his free time…

Outside of work Chris is a family man spending the majority of his free time with his partner Kate and two young girls (and dog). While still finding some time to complete the occasional tough mudder challenge or trek up Snowdon!

Who is Joe professionally?

Joe joined BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency in 2016 as a trainee insolvency administrator working his way up to a senior case administrator and passing the ICAEW Certificate in Insolvency in 2019. Joe found the insolvency world on an apprenticeship scheme whilst studying the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) qualification in 2013 and hasn’t looked back since!

What makes Joe stand out?

Joe is adept with high pressure situations, which makes him perfect for this industry. He has a very calm and efficient approach to his work, which makes working with Joe in both solvent and insolvent processes seamless and straightforward.

In his free time…

Outside of work Joe enjoys watching most sports, which means that if you mention a film or TV programme in the office, Joe most probably hasn’t seen it! Joe is also the treasurer and manager of a local Sunday league football club, combining the skills obtained in his two passions – insolvency and football! It at least means his team shouldn’t get any point deductions and avoid the need for filing for insolvency. Joe has also taken the time to learn a second language, German, on Duolingo.

Who is Robert professionally?

Robert has worked in the insolvency industry since 1996 .  He joined BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency in December 2023 having previously worked at a boutique insolvency firm.  He has a vast knowledge of solvent and insolvent liquidations, bankruptcies as well as appointments under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

What makes Robert stand out?

Robert has worked with small and medium sized clients for over 25 years.  After gaining a full understanding of their financial position, he seeks solutions to secure the best outcome for all stakeholders.

In his free time…

Robert enjoys cooking, running and spending time with his grown up children.

Who is Adrian professionally?

Adrian joined BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency as an insolvency administrator in 2018, having previously been employed as an examiner and an assistant official receiver in The Insolvency Service.  Adrian was promoted to Senior Insolvency Administrator in October 2023.

What makes Adrian stand out?

Adrian is experienced in dealing with the administration of both insolvent and solvent liquidations. He recognises that liquidation can be a stressful experience and takes pride in making the process easy-to-understand for all of our clients, and providing prompt, accurate answers to their questions.

In his free time…

Adrian enjoys art; writing; listening to a diverse range of music; and watching cult and classic cinema.

Who is Kathryn professionally?

Kathryn joined BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency in July 2020, and has recently been promoted to Senior Insolvency Administrator. She is a hardworking professional with over 6 years’ experience in insolvency. During her time in the industry, she has worked with a wide range of businesses across different industries and sectors.

What makes Kathryn stand out?

Kathryn has a proven ability to build a strong rapport with clients and colleagues. She prides herself on delivering a high quality of service to clients, and helping individuals and businesses through the insolvency process. Kathryn also has a great level of technical skills and knowledge, with her area of expertise being employee redundancies. She is adept at helping employees navigate the difficulty of redundancy.

In her free time…

Kathryn enjoys spending time with family and friends. She can often be found travelling up the motorway to visit family in Liverpool. She also enjoys looking after and walking the family dogs or finding a new hike in the countryside or coastline.

Who is Ryan professionally?

Ryan joined BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency in 2018 as a Trainee Insolvency Administrator having previously worked as a cashier in the insolvency department of another firm. Ryan passed the ICAEW Certificate in Insolvency exam in 2020.

What makes Ryan stand out?

Ryan has dealt with a range of insolvency procedures both corporate and personal. He understands that for the majority of clients on insolvent matters taking that first step to get advice can be stressful and emotional. Ryan helps guide clients through procedures by being calm and honest about the outcomes and being a point of contact for any concerns or queries they may have.

In his free time…

Outside of work Ryan enjoys following Leicester City, going to the gym and taking the dog for walks.

Who is Pam professionally?

Pam joined BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency in 2019 as a case administrator, having previously worked in corporate finance, secured lending and a number of insolvency firms including Coopers & Lybrand Deloitte (now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers).  Pam was promoted to Senior Insolvency Administrator in October 2023.

What makes Pam stand out?

Pam has been in the insolvency sector for over 22 years, initially providing secretarial support and gradually progressing to case administration in 2012. Pam particularly specialises in administering creditors’ voluntary liquidations, members’ voluntary liquidations and bankruptcies and is also experienced in dealing with company/individual voluntary arrangements and administrations.

In her free time…

Outside of work, Pam’s enjoys cooking, socialising with friends and travelling.

Who is Faith professionally?

Faith joined BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency in March 2023 as a senior insolvency administrator at our Coventry office. She obtained her Certificate of Proficiency in Insolvency (CPI) qualification in 2012 and became a full member of the Insolvency Practitioners Association in 2013.

What makes Faith stand out?

Faith has worked within the insolvency profession for over 20 years and has experience working on both corporate and personal cases. She communicates with directors, shareholders, creditors and third parties in order to build trust and reassurance with her clients whilst they may be going through a difficult time. She works and progresses her case portfolios from start to finish.

In her free time…

In her spare time, she enjoys walking, landscape painting and travelling when she can.

Who is Anita professionally?

Anita joined BRI Business Recovery and Insolvency in 2020 as a trainee insolvency administrator after graduating from the University of Hertfordshire with a degree in Law.

What makes Anita stand out?

Anita has over two years of experience assisting with all aspects of solvent and insolvent liquidations. As a focused and diligent insolvency administrator, Anita works hard to ensure all appointments are dealt with efficiently, thoroughly and in accordance with statutory obligations and the firm’s practices.

In her free time…

When not working, Anita enjoys walking, yoga and spending time with her young son.