Promotions at advisory firm and restructuring specialist
Advisory firm and restructuring specialist Duff & Phelps has made two promotions at its Birmingham office, which it said reflects its “strong commitment” to the Midlands region.
Elizabeth Dunbar, who has been with the firm since its Birmingham office opened in 2010 has been promoted to director.
Meanwhile, Andrew Knowles who has been promoted to director, has relocated from the Duff & Phelps team in the North West.
The firm, with offices on Newhall Street, said it expects the influence of the region to grow as inward investment in infrastructure continues apace and the financial services sector takes advantage of the geographical and cost efficiencies of being based in the Midlands.
Duff & Phelps Birmingham office managing director, Matt Ingram said: “With the ongoing transformation that is happening in Birmingham City Centre the region is firmly on the up. The striking new Grand Central station, development of the Enterprise Zone, a number of large scale ‘Grade A’ commercial office developments and the announcement by HSBC that their UK Retail Bank will be headquartered in the city, are all signs of the growing influence Birmingham has and cements its role as an important city for business.”
“As more firms come to do business in the region, the need for quality advice is critical. From Brexit, to politics, to global terrorism there is much uncertainty in the world. Whether that manifests as currency exchange rates putting unforeseen pressure on profit margins, waning lender appetite or customer confidence impacting sales, uncertainty created by global news headlines can rapidly become local level issues.”
However, Ingram remains upbeat regarding the prospects for business in the region.
He said: “The good news is that even when faced with financial uncertainty there has never been a time, certainly in my career, where there has been more turnaround support, alternative finance providers or restructuring options available to companies; hence the decision to make this investment into the region. I am delighted that Andrew and Elizabeth have been recognised for promotion, which is testament to their skill and experience and also that Andrew, who has a well established reputation in the North West, has agreed to join us in the Midlands as we deepen our commitment, skill base and expertise in the region.”
