Experience
Stephen recently joined Grant Thornton to lead our Restructuring offering in NI. He has 25+ years specialist recovery and insolvency experience, advising corporates and stakeholders across a wide range of sectors. He is a former partner with a big 4 firm and more recently spent a couple of years out in industry as a COO, before returning to the world of professional services.
Stephen has significant experience providing advice and solutions to distressed businesses, financial institutions and wider stakeholders, both outside and inside of a formal insolvency process. He has undertaken hundreds of corporate and personal formal insolvency appointments over the years, including trading and successfully selling many businesses, saving thousands of jobs and maximising the return to creditors in the process. He has been involved in many high profile local insolvency appointments, and acted as lead advisor for financial institutions in a host of advisory and restructuring assignments where solutions have been delivered without the need for a formal process.
Stephen has a strong belief and track record for seeking to provide early and timely advice in distressed situations, this often being key to what options and solutions are available, and to avoid or minimise the risk of formal insolvency where possible.
During more recent years, Stephen has spent an increasing proportion of his time advising non-distressed businesses on a range of matters. In his industry COO role, he helped navigate the business through the COVID-19 pandemic and BREXIT in addition to normal business activities.
Life outside work
Stephen enjoys spending his time outside of work with his family and friends. He has a keen interest in boating and water sports, and a long running passion for cars.
- Chartered Accountant (CAI)
- Qualified Insolvency Practitioner
- Past chair of R3 for the NI region
- Active member of the CAI Insolvency Licensing Committee