Accountancy firm swoops for boutique insolvency practice

Midlands accounting and advisory firm PKF Smith Cooper has completed the acquisition of BLB Advisory, an insolvency boutique based in the West Midlands.

The acquisition includes BLB’s director and owner Brett Barton along with seven team members joining PKF Smith Cooper.

With offices in Derby, Nottingham and Birmingham, PKF Smith Cooper’s Business Recovery and Restructuring (BRR) team will be adding 80 years of combined experience and expertise in insolvency and recovery solutions.

PKF Smith Cooper gains three new office locations in the West Midlands through the deal.

Barton’s new role at PKF Smith Cooper will see him continue to deliver his current services in Coventry, Hereford and Worcester, in addition to supporting the firm’s BRR partners, Dean Nelson (head of BRR), Michael Roome and Nick Lee.

Team members joining PKF Smith Cooper from BLB Advisory include Louise Hookham, who has specialist experience in the engineering, leisure, building, property and hospitality sectors, and senior manager Lucy Garner.

Barton said: “I am excited to be joining the team at PKFSC and to expand their offering in the West Midlands. There are many synergies between our businesses, and I believe that, within the PKFSC brand, I will be able to provide advice and guidance to businesses across the region that is unparalleled. PKFSC are an experienced team with a track record and passion for delivering solutions. I am looking forward to meeting up with my network of contacts to discuss the benefits of working alongside Dean and his experienced team at PKFSC.”

Dean Nelson, head of business recovery and restructuring and partner at PKF Smith Cooper, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Brett and his team to PKF Smith Cooper as we embark on this new era for our business recovery services. From initial conversations with Brett, it was clear he was aligned with our recovery-first approach, and that his team shared our passion for helping business owners in distress to secure the best possible outcome for the future.

“Acquiring BLB Advisory Limited has strengthened our renowned team, increasing the breadth of our expertise, as well as our capacity to respond to the high demand for specialist support required from businesses struggling in the current climate. We are looking forward to continuing to grow our reputation as the Midlands’ leading provider of Business Recovery and Restructuring services.”