The North West branch of R3, the UK’s insolvency and restructuring trade body, has two new faces leading the region.
Fran Henshaw has been appointed as the new regional Chair while Mark Davies is the new Vice-Chair.
Fran, a qualified insolvency practitioner, is Director and Head of Corporate Recovery and Insolvency at chartered accountants and business advisors Beever and Struthers in Manchester. She takes over the role of Chair from Allan Cadman, an insolvency practitioner with the Xeinadin Group, who has completed his three-year term in office.
Mark Davies, an insolvency solicitor, is a Partner and Head of Restructuring and Insolvency at Chester-based Aaron & Partners LLP. Both have over 30 years’ experience helping companies and individuals with debt problems and also advising creditors pursuing outstanding debts.
Their appointment comes as business insolvencies in England and Wales have reached a 13-year high and Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidations (CVLs) – a type of insolvency procedure where directors close their company voluntarily – are at the highest level since records began over 60 years ago.
Fran Henshaw said: “Insolvency professionals play a key role in rescuing struggling businesses, saving jobs and helping individuals with debt problems. Our work is even more important in these challenging times when, having made it through the pandemic, businesses now face rising costs and the prospect of recession.
“In the short term we are likely to see a further increase in business distress which in turn could put pressure on the personal finances of business owners, especially small firms and the self-employed. The insolvency profession are here to help and the sooner people come forward to ask advice, the more effective our role can be. It is an honour to take on the role of Chair and act as the voice of the profession in the North West.”
Mark Davies added: “It is vital that businesses and individuals with cash flow or debt problems don’t bury their head in the sand. One of the trends we are seeing at present is a big rise in winding up petitions as creditors adopt a more aggressive stance in terms of recovery of their debt.
“I would urge any business or individual who is facing financial problems to ask for advice at an early stage when it may be easier to resolve such issues and with more options being open.”
