In our latest “Meet the expert” feature, Ruth Gilbert, Director and Licensed Insolvency Practitioner talks about her experience, provides tips on how professional advisers can spot any warning signs early to help their clients, and her love for the outdoors.
Tell us about your experience
Insolvency is a really interesting area; however, I am yet to find anyone who deliberately chose insolvency as a profession as we all seem to fall into it by accident!
I started my working life deep in the countryside of South West Wales working with a small business designing and illustrating patterns for handmade knitwear sold in the high-end fashion shops of the time e.g. Saks, Liberty amongst others, in London, New York and Milan. When fashions changed, they set up TOAST Mail order, which still runs today, and I changed paths to work on the accounts side and started my ACCA exams.
I was only working part-time as I had a young family and when the offices moved further from my home it was no longer economical for me to continue to work the hours that I could so I took, what I thought would be a one year well-earned and enjoyable break.
However, within a month I was bored and took a general office administrator’s role for a Bristol-based insolvency practice.
The work was interesting, and I was soon requesting the chance to be more involved in live cases. Following a move to Bristol I completed my ACCA and insolvency exams taking Insolvency Appointments for several years before moving to Milsted Langdon in 2015.
Nearly ten years later, I now manage the Bristol team and enjoy the range of Insolvency Appointments we get. Drawing on the expert knowledge of the other teams at Milsted Langdon has huge benefits when we are dealing with cases, which range from bankruptcies, where you might have to have to deal with individuals whose house you are repossessing, to Companies where you are dealing with shutdowns or occasionally trading prior to a sale.
Outside of formal insolvency instructions, we may be instructed in Court Appointed Receiverships where one party in divorce proceedings is not complying with a court order and we are appointed to realise their assets.
How can professional advisers help their clients?
It is important to look out for signs of distress in a company, as seeking early advice will allow for more options for the company.
If you notice your clients are experiencing any of the following, please do have a quick chat with us and if necessary, we can arrange an informal chat with your client.
- Unable to pay debts as they fall due
- CCJ, statutory demands or winding up petition
- Decrease in working capital
- Dividends / DLA
- Companies House non-filing – strike off process
- HMRC time to pay arrangements
- Sale of key assets
- High staff turnover
- Directors missing in action
- Failure/loss of key supplier/customer
Outside of work, what are your hobbies?
Those that know me well will recognise my slight competitive streak which was probably ingrained at an early age growing up with three brothers.
I love the outdoors, walking and cycling, and have competed at the county level in hockey. I have also played in district badminton leagues and love swimming.
On a wet day you might find me playing the piano, saxophone and/or concertina, but for my ears only(!), or continuing with my art, splashing oil paint around an easel.