Chris Laughton, insolvency expert at Mercer & Hole (London, England) has recently been appointed President of INSOL Europe, the pan-European members
organisation for insolvency professionals.
A specialist in cross-border restructuring and insolvency activities, Chris is a partner at Mercer & Hole chartered accountants London office.
Chris has chosen to champion the theme of communication during his presidency term. For Chris this includes encouraging his peers to communicate more effectively with stakeholders and the wider business community, to ensure a better understanding of the skills and legislation they bring to bear when seeking to recover a failing business.
Chris has been encouraged in this as consequence of the recent widespread negative reaction to the application of 'pre pack' arrangements.
Chris comments, "I want the business community to benefit from best practice application of insolvency practices and legislation, which can secure the ongoing operation of viable businesses and safeguard employment. The view seems fairly widespread that appointment of insolvency practitioners leads automatically to business closure, or an escape route being provided to those seeking to avoid their creditors. Seeing the insolvency industry as the bad guys prevents businesses instructing recovery and restructuring experts quickly enough to prolong a business's life."
In addition, Chris wishes to facilitate INSOL Europe's contribution to the debate on the legislative environment in which insolvency professionals operate and specifically, the review of the EC Insolvency Regulation which is due to report in 2012.
At this year's INSOL Europe conference in Vienna (14 - 16 October 2010) Chris co-presented on the theme of ‘Communication in distress’ with Guy Lofalk, who was the administrator of Saab and Claire Davidson of Gardant Communications.
About INSOL Europe
• INSOL Europe is the professional association for Europe-based restructuring and insolvency specialists.
• Its mission is to take the leading role in debate of European issues of insolvency, business recovery and the turnaround of business organisations.
• Information about the association and its objectives is available at www.insol-europe.org.
• As President, Chris will chair the association’s Council governing body and Executive. He will host a meeting of the INSOL Europe Council in London in March 2011.
• The Case Register is a key component of Chris's plans; as a concept it is the founding and sharing of a database hosting legal cases relating to the European Insolvency Regulation.
About Chris Laughton
• Chris is editor of ‘Recovery’ the quarterly journal of the Association of Business Recovery Professionals (R3) and contributor to and past editor of Eurofenix, INSOL Europe's journal.
• Chris is a frequent blogger at www.insolvencyblog.com and media commentator on insolvency issues.
• As a restructuring and insolvency partner with Mercer & Hole chartered accountants, Chris acts for management, creditors and other stakeholders, seeking to add value to financially troubled businesses of alls sizes.
• Having particular knowledge and experience of European recovery practices and insolvency regimes, including the European Insolvency Regulation, Chris is one of a very small number of UK insolvency practitioners who are well-positioned to bridge the gulf in understanding and expectations between stakeholders from different jurisdictions in cross-border business recovery cases.
• Chris has acted in a vast range of debtor-led and creditor-led recoveries in the UK and internationally, in addition to pre-funding reviews for lenders and investors, in industry sectors including retail, manufacturing, utilities, engineering, printing, wholesale and distribution, leisure, professional practices, property and construction, telecommunications and not-for-profit. He has particular expertise in pensions restructuring, advising businesses and trustees, and if necessary acting as the insolvency practitioner for companies whose pension schemes are to enter the Pension Protection Fund or be subject to an approved compromise.
• Chris joined Mercer & Hole as a partner in 2004. He has been working in business recovery since 1983 when he qualified as a chartered accountant, obtaining his Insolvency Practitioners’ Licence in 1987
Mercer & Hole
Founded in 1905, Mercer & Hole is a top 50 firm of Chartered Accountants, with 19 partners and over 140 staff. The firm specialises in providing services to both businesses and individuals, and operates across the country from four offices in St Albans, London, Northampton and Milton Keynes. Please visit our website at www.mercerhole.co.uk. Mercer & Hole is registered by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) to carry out company audit work. Our licensed insolvency practitioners are licensed by the ICAEW to undertake insolvency work.
