Duff & Phelps appoints Joanne Wright as Managing Director
In a bid to further strengthen its restructuring advisory practice, Duff & Phelps has appointed Joanne Wright as Managing Director and leader of the firm’s new UK Personal Insolvency team. Wright joins the firm’s Manchester office, just days after Duff & Phelps confirmed a global investor consortium had completed a $4 billion acquisition of the company.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to push the global economy to the brink of a recession, there are few safe bets left for investors to make. One of the few things private equity can be sure of, however, is that consulting firms which specialise in insolvency and corporate recovery for ailing businesses are set to enjoy a spike in demand throughout 2020. The likelihood of heightened business for the restructuring consulting segment was recently illustrated by a consortium of investors led by Stone Point Capital and Further Global, who were willing to sink an estimated $4.2 billion into the purchase of Duff & Phelps.
The move will allow Duff & Phelps to further expand its offering and expertise – and will no doubt lead to the arrival of a number of talented individuals across the firm’s ranks in coming months. To that end, just days after the transaction was confirmed, Joanne Wright has joined Duff & Phelps’ Manchester wing, bringing over three decades of insolvency experience to the firm. Wright has particular expertise in dealing with debt negotiation, investigative bankruptcy and deceased estates, and will apply those skills as a Managing Director and Leader of the firm’s personal insolvency team.
Wright said of her new challenge, "Joining Duff & Phelps is a tremendously exciting move for me. I look forward to establishing the firm’s Centre of Excellence for personal insolvency in the UK, based out of the Duff & Phelps Manchester office and working alongside a team of experts to provide a comprehensive offering to the UK market.”
With over 30 years of experience in the insolvency industry, Wright spent the last 20 years specialising in personal insolvency. She joins from rival firm Begbies Traynor where she was a Partner, working in its business rescue and recovery practice. She holds a Bachelor of Laws from Lancaster University, and is a UK licensed insolvency practitioner, as well as a fellow of the restructuring industry’s representative body R3, and is a former council member of the Insolvency Practitioners Association and the Personal Insolvency Committee.
David Whitehouse, Managing Director and Head of UK Restructuring Advisory, Duff & Phelps, stated, “We are delighted that Joanne has joined Duff & Phelps. Her extensive knowledge and experience will be an invaluable asset for the Restructuring Advisory practice and wider firm due to her detailed understanding of the challenges faced within the personal insolvency sector. Her focus will also further enhance and deepen our ongoing relationships with professional services firms such as accountants and lawyers looking for expert guidance in this field.”