People: Begbies Traynor; Chamber International; and more

Experienced insolvency practitioner Laura Baxter has been promoted to director, based at Begbies Traynor’s growing offices in the Humber region.

After joining Begbies Traynor in 2012 as a senior insolvency administrator, Baxter was appointed to the position of assistant manager in 2016, becoming a manager the following year.

She was promoted to senior insolvency manager at the firm’s Hull office in 2019.

With over 13 years’ experience of providing insolvency advice to businesses and individuals, she previously worked as a case administrator for another professional services firm for six years.

A fully qualified insolvency practitioner, Baxter achieved her JIEB professional exams in corporate and personal insolvency in March 2019, passing first time.

She specialises in corporate and personal insolvency, distressed advisor and business investigations.

Andrew Mackenzie, partner for Begbies Traynor in Yorkshire, said: “After eight years with Begbies Traynor, Laura has risen through the ranks, developing her skills and gaining experience supporting a wide range of businesses and individuals.

“Having experienced first hand Laura’s hard work and commitment to helping to develop our presence in the Humber region, including the opening of our offices in Grimsby and Scunthorpe, it is particularly satisfying to see her well-deserved success in achieving the position of director.

“As a firm, we are committed to nurturing talent in order to ensure we can provide the best service to our clients.”

Baxter added: “Begbies Traynor has built a reputation as the leading independent rescue, recovery and advisory firm in the region and I have been fortunate to learn from such experienced colleagues.

“I look forward to working alongside Andrew and the team as we continue to support businesses, individuals and creditors across the county and beyond.”

Begbies Traynor’s Humber team is based at offices in Hull, Scunthorpe and Grimsby. The group currently has nine offices and employs around 100 staff in Yorkshire, the Humber and the North East.

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Director of Bradford-based overseas trade specialist Chamber International, Tim Bailey, has been invited to join a panel of 20 UK experts providing daily advice to businesses involved with global trade during the pandemic.

As a member of the specialist panel launched by the Institute of Export & International Trade, (IoE)Bailey will provide commentary on the latest issues affecting trade for its new emergency publication, The Daily Bulletin.

The Daily Bulletin will provide IoE members and the wider trade community with up-to-the-minute coverage on the main news about COVID-19 and its affect on the constantly-changing global economic and trade landscape.

Bailey, who was made a fellow of the Institute of Export and International Trade in 2017, said: “The rapid spread of Coronavirus has had a significant affect on global trade, which will also have a crucial role to play in revitalising the world’s economy when the pandemic subsides.

“It is vital that businesses involved in importing and exporting, from banks to manufacturers and logistics companies, are kept abreast with the latest developments to keep trade moving.

“I’m delighted to have been asked to contribute Chamber International views to The Daily Bulletin, which will provide a badly-needed service to the UK global trade business community.”

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Thirsk-based Inspired Pet Nutrition (IPN) has promoted James Lawson to managing director as part of an ambitious strategy to double sales to over £200m by 2024.

Since joining in July 2018, Lawson has been a group director and also managing director of IPN’s subsidiary, The Real Pet Food Company, where sales of wet food and treats have doubled.

Prior to joining IPN, he was managing director at GA Pet Food Partners for seven years, during which time he championed the use of high-quality, fresh ingredient foods and led the business to grow five-fold.

Richard Page, CEO, will continue to focus on longer term culture and strategy.

He said: “James will lead the board of directors on a day-to-day basis and ensure the further development of IPN across all pet categories, markets and geographies.

“He will also continue to head our nutritional teams and drive innovation and product quality, where we believe that IPN has a tremendous amount to offer.

“Making great pet food affordable to everyone, combining our superior pet nutrition and quality with our owner manufacturer model will be a key point of differentiation in a world emerging from the current COVID crisis.”

Lawson said: “I am very excited about the future for this business.

“I believe we will continue to grow rapidly by focusing on what we do best, innovating across all aspects and offering nutritionally superior products for any given price.

“We have so much to offer, all with the aim of supporting healthy, happy, pets and owners.”