Cathro & Partners launches government advisory practice

Restructuring consultancy Cathro & Partners has launched a government advisory practice to support public sector agencies with corporate insolvency investigations, enforcement and recovery proceedings.

Founded in 2021, Cathro & Partners has since its inception focused on helping private sector businesses and lenders with preserving business value during periods of financial distress.

With the number of insolvencies expected to rise in the coming period as sectors face more hardship and funding dries up, company founder Simon Cathro said there was no better time to expand the firm’s offerings into the public sector.

“History has shown that as money becomes more expensive and funding dries up, there is an increase in insolvencies, fraud and illegal phoenix activity. Our aim is to support government agencies in getting to these distressed companies sooner to lessen the impact on Australian employees, creditors and investors caught in the fall-out of a collapse or fraud,” said John Laird, a newly hired principal appointed to lead the practice.

Laird said the practice (a number of team members have already been assembled) is ideally suited to provide advice on regulatory investigations and litigations to agencies such as the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, the Australian Taxation Office, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and the Australian Financial Security Authority.

“Cathro & Partners has the expertise and resources to be a trusted adviser to government agencies operating in an increasingly complex regulatory and risk management environment,” he said.

Laird brings extensive experience in corporate insolvency advisory to the role, specialising in providing external administration review, compliance, regulation and investigation services. He most recently ran his own business (‘Stonehaven Advisory’), undertaking independent corporate registered liquidator quality reviews for individual and national liquidator firms.

Before that, Laird held the role of Senior Specialist with the Registered Liquidators team at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, and spent more than a decade with restructuring consultancy PPB Advisory.

“John has worked in corporate insolvency advisory for the past three decades, and we are excited about what is to come with him on board,” said Cathro.

The launch of the new division follows Cathro & Partners announcing a strategic alliance with international business advisory firm Quantuma in December in response to significant demand for specialist (cross-border) advisory services.