Since 2008, Norris has headed up the UK, Canadian and Dutch operations for Max Recovery, the leading purchaser of consumer receivables where customers have been sequestrated or have signed a protected trust deed. Max Recovery has around 11,000 open insolvency claims in Scotland. He commenced his career in the insolvency sector in 1984 when he joined the UK Insolvency Service. Over the course of a 23 year career there, he moved through operations, human resources and investigations teams before becoming director of policy, where he led the team that developed, took through Parliament and implemented the personal insolvency provisions of The Enterprise Act 2002. He also chaired the process to review the operation of the IVA market which led to the establishment of the IVA Protocol and the IVA Standing Committee.
Norris has represented the UK government on a number of insolvency working groups at the European Commission and on the insolvency working group at the UN Commission on International Trade Law. He retains a strong focus and interest on Scottish insolvency matters and has given evidence to the Scottish Parliament on a number of occasions during the passage of various pieces of legislation.
The appointment of Norris to the AiB Advisory Board comes in the wake of fellow insolvency experts Bryan Jackson and Laurie Manson, who joined the board last year. All new members join AiB at a time when the Agency is seeking to update the regulations governing corporate insolvency in Scotland and will work alongside the Agency’s existing non-executive board members Yvonne MacDermid, chief executive of Money Advice Scotland and former director of long term savings at Abbey National, Kate Dunlop.
Accountant in Bankruptcy chief executive Richard Dennis said: “Following Mike’s appointment, our Advisory Board is as strong as it has ever been, with representation from across our stakeholder base. His background in the creditors’ sphere compliments our other members’ knowledge of the debt advice, legal, corporate insolvency and restructuring sectors, ensuring we have a real depth of skills and experience to draw upon.
“It is vital our strategic decisions are taken following the best and most informed advice available, and Mike’s expertise will play a pivotal role in achieving that ambition.”
AiB is Scotland’s insolvency service and is responsible for administering the process of personal bankruptcy, the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) and recording corporate insolvencies in Scotland.