Julie Nettleton is a director at Grant Thornton UK’s insolvency and asset recovery practice. Julie is a char­tered accountant and a fellow of INSOL International who has over 25 years of experience in insolvency and restructuring and extensive experience in the management and execution of large and complex insol­vency assignments. These assign­ments frequently involve multiple appointments across a variety of offshore and onshore jurisdictions, large and complex debt structures, significant litigation, and allegations of fraud.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement or contribution to the field?

It is tempting to point to headline grabbing cases as representing great achievements in the field of insolvency and restructuring, but on reflection, I consider that the sustained high point to date is the effort I have put in, and the success I have had, in helping with the development of the careers of those around me. I have worked with many talented people over the years, and I am confident I have assisted them in flourishing in the industry but must also acknowledge that they each have also taught me a thing or two.

What do you enjoy most about your role as a restructuring and insolvency adviser?

There’s a lot to enjoy about this profession, but the two points which sit at the top of my list are (1) the variety of people, businesses, and scenarios with which I am faced and (2) the opportunities I have to work with a vast array of talented people both inside and outside of my organisation, from all around the world. Both of these present me with endless opportunities to learn and develop both as a professional and as a person.

What approach do you take to gain a thorough understanding of a client's business, so that you can provide tailored and effective advice?

A data dump is almost always a feature of the commencement of any assignment, and there is a huge amount to be learned from trawling through annual reports, financials, contracts and other written materials. That said, nothing beats conversations with owners, management and staff to really get under the skin of a business. Of course, it’s necessary to weed out the emotion and self- interest, which can sometimes colour the information shared in those conversations, but the sceptical and analytical mind of a restructuring/insolvency professional takes care of that issue. Depending on the nature of the business, walking the site is also an invaluable step in the gaining an understanding of what you are working with and tailoring the strategy to suit.

How do you approach the issue of cultural differences when working on international insolvencies, and what strategies do you use to bridge any gaps these differences may create?

Working on cross border assignments makes life incredibly interesting but can also bring some challenges when there are significantly different approaches and practices in various jurisdictions. The key to working though those challenges is information and transparency. Doing some online research into a jurisdiction is always valuable, but to achieve the best outcome, you have to supplement that information by asking the right questions at the outset and leave the “sophisticated jurisdictions always know best” mindset at the door. Listen respectfully to issues raised by each jurisdiction and work as a team to develop a manner of working which is inclusive and acknowledges the boundaries set by fellow professionals. It is also vital to be alert to non-verbal clues pointing to cultural tensions, which are of course best observed when sitting around a table.

With data-driven technologies such as AI becoming increasingly prevalent across industries, how do you think these new technologies could be used to enhance insolvency proceedings?

Working smarter is something every professional should strive to do, and technological advances will almost certainly help us with (at least) some routine areas of work, but I’m sceptical about the human application of commercial and legal judgment being replaced by machines any time soon.