Keith is the author of the content on this site. He is managing director of Company Rescue Ltd and KSA Group Ltd - a specialist firm of turnaround practitioners. Over 5,000 people have contacted KSA since Keith launched this unique website in 2000 and over 500 companies have now been directly assisted by the author over the last 14 years with assignments ranging from large multi national projects to small manufacturing companies.
Keith started his career as a retailer and experienced the savage recession of the 1990’s first hand. This was before the banks had any idea about dealing with SME's failure. Close struggling businesses first; ask questions later was the response then. Of course this was driven by insolvency practitioners who wanted big fees.
So he learned a lot in a short time and thought "how can we help struggling businesses"?
He joined a specialist turnaround and insolvency firm in London in 1994 and has helped set up two venture capital companies since, specialising in the distressed / turnaround sector. What a great learning curve that was.
Keith is a former director of the UK Turnaround Management Association and an associate of the Turnaround Finance Group.
Contact Keith on 0800 9700 539 or 07974 086779 or or by email at keiths@ksagroup.co.uk
Keith will do everything in his power to help your business.
Iain is also a director of KSA. Iain has a degree in Economics from Stirling . He knows a lot about money, business and economics of course!
He's been involved in the turnaround sector since 2001 and has huge experience of helping people like you. Iain is an expert in the use of the company voluntary arrangement mechanism, he knows more about this tool than almost anyone else in the UK.
He and his corporate advice team advise clients on their restructure and work with banks, tax creditors, asset lenders and creditors to ensure a consensus approach is achieved on behalf of our clients. Iain is a skilled and tenacious negotiator who can obtain deals, supplies and support from otherwise unhelpful creditors.
Iain has worked with SME’s through CVA’s, liquidations administrations and trading out. He works tirelessly for our clients who are often amazed at the deals he pulls off for them and he always has a supportive approach.
Having advised one of our clients how to deal with a landlord problem, the advice he gave became case law after a decision of the Court of Appeal, called Thomas v Ken Thomas Ltd 2006 EWCA Civ 1504.
This was a complex case concerning rent payment appropriation to a landlord in the period leading up to a CVA and how they should be allocated. Iain has extensive knowledge of legal matters in CVA and you should call him if you have any questions.
Call Iain on 01289 309431 or 0771 77860704 iainc@ksagroup.co.uk
Gordon Boden - Associate Director, West Midlands.
Gordon has worked with Keith Steven /KSA for many years. Indeed even before KSA was formed Gordon had been involved in over 20 turnarounds with Keith in the West Midlands area.
Gordon is a very experienced turnaround advisor and accountant based in Sutton Coldfield. He has been involved with many CVA's, liquidations and administrations with Keith and KSA. Often Gordon will bring on board his team of specialist accountants to provide input into the turnaround and regular monthly financial reporting for the boards of our clients.
With industrial and engineering experience, accounting experience, and many appointments as executive director, turnaround director and non-executive director for turnaround clients, Gordon has a rounded view of the business world. There isn't much Gordon hasn't seen over the years and he is a great listener.
He has worked in the West Midlands business community for over 40 years and is a well respected and connected local figure. If your business is based in or around the West Midlands, he will be happy to meet you for a free of charge initial assessment meeting.
Call Gordon on 0121 3780671 or 07974 948804.
Russell Mallen - Associate Manager - West Midlands
Russ is very experienced in the provision of quality accounting information in distressed situations.
Often our clients have a breakdown of accounting and reporting in the stress that insolvency can bring, Russell will oversee a deep review of the systems and reporting, tidy up the balance sheet and profit and loss and set out meaningful information for the directors and their advisors. After this he will help build detailed financial forecasts for any CVA or restructure.
In one example KSA rescued a manufacturing company in the West Midlands and we quickly found that the records were appalling despite the company employing a full time (ACA) finance director. After KSA was appointed, he was asked to leave and Russ brought a team of 4 experienced accounting people into the company within 2 days to reconcile and collect the debtor book, reconcile multiple bank accounts, oversee invoicing and liaison with the factoring company and the bank. Cashflow was rapidly improved and the company recovered sufficiently to propose a CVA. Russell knows how a CVA can help restructure tax and trade debt and get your business moving forward again.
Call Russell on 07989 575933 or 0121 3780671
We have a great team of advisors across the UK. With over a dozen trained advisors ready to take your call, we can guarantee you will be surprised how much better you will feel after talking to KSA. In our experience most insolvency practitioners remain tied to closure techniques or those methods where fees are greatest. Whilst many IP’s are moving into the rescue and restructure field they do not communicate with distressed companies easily. There are few (understandable) books about rescuing your business - so we built this site way back in 2000.
We are very keen to help worried directors, give them options and solutions and see their business go forward. Where that is not possible we help with a dignified exit or restart.
Call us or email us, fill out the form on contact us page, whichever way you contact us we are proud of our ability and willingness to help. How do we make money?
Obviously, there is a commercial motive - we are all in business to make profits - but we hope that the lack of overt selling messages on the this website means that you do not feel hustled to buy anything. We are not interested in advertising revenue from other people. Our aim is to answer your questions and worries professionally and innovatively, then we will hopefully be able to work with your business.
For your clarity our commercial gain will come from providing hands on and agreed turnaround work through our expert company doctors or insolvency work through our insolvency practitioners. All fees are quoted in writing in advance. We normally SAVE your business cashflow and thus our fees are affordable.
If you have tried our service or used our site for free information please spread the word!
If you have a complaint or comment, please call me personally on 0800 9700539 and I will answer your comments. I welcome advice on how to improve the site.
Our advice is free at delivery but to cope with demand we ask that you email us, (or fill out the contact us form or call our Freephone number 0800 9700 539), with a broad outline of the problem and we will call you back at a time and on a number that will keep our conversation discreet. Or if you prefer we can send an email confidentiality agreement before you disclose any of your financial details. To do this please put confidentiality request in your email title box.
Our advice is entirely free until a service or product is offered to your company, this will be in writing and only after a detailed meeting and analysis of the company by one of our directors. We have directors across the UK.
Finally - remember we are here to help. We work all day with distressed businesses, there is very little that you can tell us that will surprise us! Sometimes a dispassionate, disconnected look at your business can greatly assist you to make a decision. So swallow your pride, read this site and then contact us.
Keith Steven Managing Director
May 2010
We'll give you free, high quality advice. If you would rather call use the numbers at the top of the screen.
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