Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Thursday 21st May
Nottingham
The Spring Commercial Credit & Collections Conference series will continue in May 2026.
The Commercial Credit & Collections Conference series focuses on the latest updates in credit management and insolvency.
The next edition of the conference will provide Credit Managers and FDs with access to credit management and insolvency-related advice. The Commercial Credit & Collections conferences are a platform to learn more about new industry services, products, the latest technology and best practices.
*There is a limited number of passes set aside for suppliers: Costs start at £ 249+VAT per pass for DCAs. Other suppliers’ costs start at £ 499+VAT – these passes are limited. EARLY BIRD RATES ENDED ON FRIDAY, 27TH FEBRUARY.
SPEAKER PROFILES:
CHAIR: Brendan Clarkson, Partner – Creditor Services, Opus Business Advisory Group
Brendan leads the Opus Business Advisory Group’s Creditor Services team within the Restructuring and Insolvency practice, bringing over 25 years of specialist experience to the role. He provides expert guidance to clients navigating both corporate and personal insolvency, offering support before, during, and after the appointment of an insolvency practitioner or restructure. Brendan works closely with creditors at every stage, focusing on maximising outcomes and helping them make informed decisions.He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management, sits on the R3 London & South East regional committee, and is an active member of the Turnaround Management Association UK.
CHAIR: Bhav Chandegra, Consultant Credit Specialities, Trade Credit at Marsh McLennan
Bhav Chandegra recently joined Marsh Credit Specialities as a Consultant, having a proven track record in relationship management and origination spanning over 20 years in Banking and Insurance. Focused on delivering tailored and innovative solutions against non-payment risks, enabling growth, balance sheet protection and optimising working capital cycles. Bhav is passionate about helping clients achieve their strategic goals by leveraging knowledge and expertise in credit solutions and trade finance to design strategies that transfer risk and unlock sustainable growth opportunities. Bhav is also responsible for driving growth for our Financial Institutions Practice by providing credit solutions to support growth, risk management, increase lending capacity and capital management. Bhav is committed to driving profitability and long-term success by aligning solutions with each client’s unique needs.
ECONOMIC UPDATE PRESENTER: Ope Farinloye, Senior Credit Underwriter, Allianz Trade
Ope Farinloye is an accomplished Senior Credit Underwriter at Allianz Trade, with extensive expertise in insurance and risk management. With a passion for excellence, Ope has demonstrated remarkable leadership and communication skills, effectively engaging with all stakeholders. His role involves providing strategic risk services and building strategic relationships with brokers and trade associations. He enjoys presenting trade sector, macro, and micro economic insights. Ope is a Chartered Accountant. He also holds a master’s degree in insurance & risk management from Bayes Business School, London. He is a Chartered Insurance Risk Manager of the Chartered Insurance Institute, CII London.
He has a rich professional background that includes experience in banking, finance, auditing, and insurance broking. He has been a dedicated member of Allianz Trade since 2018, currently working as a Senior Credit Underwriter. His dedication to innovation and change management, coupled with industry and market insights makes him an asset in steering risk exposure and ensuring profitability in challenging environments.
ROUND TABLE CHAIR: Lewis Walkington, Consultant Credit Specialities, Trade Credit at Marsh McLennan
Lewis Walkington has spent the past 3 years at Marsh, working closely with finance professionals across a wide range of industries. As Sector Champion for Manufacturing and Automotive, he leads growth initiatives in these key sectors while maintaining a strong understanding of credit landscapes across the broader market. With over 15 years’ experience in financial services and insurance, Lewis has developed a high-level expertise in finance and credit risk management. He helps businesses strengthen their internal credit control processes, improve working capital efficiency, and support sustainable growth. Drawing on his credit expertise, Lewis advises organisations on how to make smarter decisions and operate with greater confidence across a variety of industries.
ROUND TABLE CHAIR: Ben Muth, Consultant Credit Specialities, Trade Credit at Marsh McLennan
Ben Muth joined Marsh over five years ago as an apprentice after finishing school. Since then, Ben has immersed himself in the world of Trade Credit, gaining experience across both servicing and consultancy. Through hands-on work and a strong commitment to learning, Ben has developed a well-rounded understanding of credit risk, client relationship management, and market dynamics. Ben is focused on delivering expert solutions for a wide range of businesses, helping them navigate complex credit challenges, ambitious growth targets, and comprehensive risk management. Passionate about continuous development, Ben is committed to expanding his expertise and contributing to innovative solutions within the trade credit space.
PANELIST: Paula Swain, Managing Solicitor at Kearns Legal Services
Paula Swain joined Kearns solicitors in April 2025 as a Managing Solicitor and Head of Litigation & Recoveries. Drawing on her 25+ years of debt recovery, financial services, and insolvency litigation experience, Paula has opened a new office and set up a new team in Reading to support a growing external client base. Paula is the lead external client relationship manager at Kearns, supported by a team of over thirty paralegals, managers and lawyers across our Reading and Caerphilly locations. As a trusted litigation adviser with exceptional credit industry and commercial recoveries knowledge, Paula has been listed as a leading lawyer in the Legal 500 guide. Paula shares this experience and knowledge regularly through articles, LinkedIn posts and when speaking at events. For example, speaking on litigation and AI at an event for the Chartered Institute of Credit Management and delivering a training webinar on litigation to members of the finance team at a major UK corporate in the construction industry. With board-level experience, Paula is currently a Trustee of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management and was a Director of the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership and the Solent Freeport. Paula’s knowledge and experience are brought to the fore when advising clients on more complex matters to arrive at the best solution that will mitigate risk and cost, together with supplying solutions for volume litigation.
PANELIST: Martin Kirby, Head of Risk & Collections at Batt Electricals
With over two decades of credit and risk management expertise, Martin Kirby is a distinguished leader known for his strategic vision and operational excellence. As a Credit Lead for Batt Electricals, Martin spearheads innovative strategies to enhance credit and risk management practices, driving operational efficiencies and customer satisfaction. His extensive career includes senior roles at renowned organisations such as Business Stream, KIER Group Limited, ADECCO UK, and Bupa Healthcare, where he successfully led teams, implemented robust systems, and achieved significant financial improvements. Martin holds an MBA from INSEAD and Manchester Business School and is a Six Sigma Black Belt, bringing a wealth of knowledge in financial strategic planning and stakeholder engagement. Martin is an expert presenter and negotiator committed to fostering collaborative environments and delivering exceptional results.
PANELIST: Debbie Nolan, Independent Consultant/Head of Professional Development at Chartered Institute of Credit Management (CICM)Debbie has been working in Credit Management and Debt Collection since 1987. During that time, she has roles ranging from operations to sales and business development for large, global organisations and within smaller, entrepreneurial businesses. For the last 6 years, she has been Managing Director of Everyday People Financial Solutions, Debt Collection business, where her responsibilities included FCA Senior Management Functions 16 and 17, and playing a fundamental role in the development, implementation and execution of their Consumer Duty Framework. She has experience of early to late stage collections across a wide range of industry sectors, including Financial Services, Energy, Water, Retail, Automotive and Telecommunications; predominantly within B2C. Debbie is a graduate Fellow member of the CICM, the Consumer Credit representative on the CICM Advisory Council since 2016, and has served on the Executive Board of Trustees, acting as Vice Chair and Chair over the last 6 years.
PANELIST: Steven Radley, Credit Manager at Turnbull
Steven Radley has been a Credit Manager for a family-owned Builders Merchant in the East Midlands for the last 10 years. He has gained accountancy, credit and teaching qualifications in his career before moving on to teaching and coaching for the CICM to try to support the future of credit. He believes strong credit management is important for any and every business and hopes to continue trying to impact the credit landscape in positive ways. He is very passionate and proud to get to work and support the CICM with new and future learners. Attending these conferences has helped me incredibly in our own business, and he enjoys the different topics and industries discussed!
PANELIST: Mark Porter, Head of Collections at Capital On Tap
Mark has over 25 years of experience in both commercial and consumer debt management. He is currently the Head of Collections at Capital on Tap, a specialist Fintech that provides Credit Cards to SMEs. Mark has worked at TSB Bank, Investec, MotoNovo Finance, GE Money, Pepper Advantage and The Royal Bank of Scotland.
PANELIST: Carla Lourenco, Head of Credit, Arkle Finance
Carla is a self-motivated and ambitious credit risk professional with over 25 years of experience across consumer and commercial finance in the UK and internationally. Her expertise spans credit risk management, underwriting, fraud prevention, analytics, and operational leadership across a wide range of products, including mortgages, asset and motor finance, personal loans, and credit cards. She has contributed to both established financial institutions and startups, earning recognition for her ability to support senior management and deliver strategic objectives while maintaining strong governance.
Carla has founded startups, built credit functions, launched new products, and driven loan book growth. She has developed effective lending and collections strategies, enhanced underwriting processes, and implemented data-driven insights using tools such as open banking and credit models. Currently, as Head of Credit at Arkle Finance, she leads a team across underwriting, credit risk, and compliance, focusing on sustainable growth and regulatory alignment. Outside work, she enjoys travel, culture, and continuous learning.”
MORE PROFILES TO FOLLOW SOON….
HEADLINE SPONSORS:
With over 45,000 colleagues across more than 130 countries, Marsh Risk is the world’s leading insurance broker and risk advisor. We provide commercial and individual clients with local market insights, regulatory updates, and risk trend analysis to help them navigate coverage nuances and emerging risks. Leveraging industry-focused brokerage, consulting, and claims advocacy services, combined with data, technology, and analytics, we work closely with clients to optimise risk placement, mitigate exposures, and reduce their total cost of risk. Our global presence ensures tailored support wherever your business operates or faces risk challenges.
Opus Business Advisory Group is an independently owned advisory firm that assists clients to achieve their objectives, enhance value and attain the best possible results. Specialist teams within each division work together to deliver a seamless solution that addresses all of the clients’ needs through one team. The Group provides fresh thinking combined with specialist skills to facilitate the next steps of the client’s business journey.
The Group contains the largest independent restructuring and insolvency firm in the UK, with a headcount of over 150 and 38 Partners across the Group’s 15 UK offices, and an office in Bermuda. Opus is a member of GGI (a worldwide association of experienced professionals to support companies on a global scale). Group divisions also include strategic advisory, forensic accounting, growth equity, wealth management and capital partners.
SPONSORS:
Atradius Collections is a worldwide B2B debt recovery provider known for delivering effective, amicable, and legally supported collection solutions across diverse markets, time zones, and regulatory environments. Their multilingual specialists, positioned across the globe, draw on strong local insight and a highly integrated international IT network to optimise recovery outcomes while safeguarding customer relationships. Alongside their collection services, Atradius also delivers a broad range of credit management solutions designed to strengthen cash flow, enhance receivables oversight, and mitigate payment risk.
SUPPORTERS:
VENUE ADDRESS:
Eastwood Hall Hotel
Mansfield Road,
Eastwood,
Nottingham
NG16 3SS
EVENT GALLERY:
