I’ve spent the last 14 years living in Wellington. I met my partner here. I love this city. There are always events happening. The food’s great. The coffee’s great. The rugged coastline is fantastic. There isn’t much I don’t like. I even like the hills. Maybe the cold wet rain hitting you sideways in the face isn’t great (here comes that over-used saying again…).
As us Wellingtonians like to say, you can’t beat Wellington on a good day. Possibly this is the biggest positive spin I’ve ever heard. How many are there? But equally it may say something about the spirit of the people of this vibrant, cold, vivacious, and windy capital. We’re a resilient lot. I like to think this extends to our businesses sector as well.
I cut my professional teeth providing accounting services for SMEs, and spent close to half a decade doing so. I became a proud chartered accountant in the process. Eventually I was given responsibility managing clients. I loved it. Like many before me, I then ventured beyond the CA firm, into the territory of large organisations. Perhaps unlike most, I took on risk and operated as an external consultant. Nonetheless, two years on what had started as new and novel, had eventually become repetitive. I wanted the range of clientele again.
Enter Waterstone. I was parched and in need of some liquid perhaps (the only pun I promise), but what was this place all about? Should I do this? Should I jump in? Was the water fine? (sorry). I did know a bit about liquidations already. They intrigued me. I’d seen them “over there” from within the safe bounds of my accounting office. I needed to know more.
Enter Damien Grant and Adam Botterill. As we enjoyed lunch at Crab Shack, one of the city’s top seafood restaurants, I was given the run down. What I remember the best when I think about that meeting, was the passion. Did it make insolvency seem interesting? Perhaps…
Two months on and I can honestly say, insolvency is very interesting. I have learned a lot. It’s a contentious environment, with strong competing interests, and very high stakes. You work with a variety of businesses, and personalities. I’ve even been interviewed by the media about one of my cases. This might be some of the most interesting work I’ve ever done. I’m proud to be the Wellington lead for Waterstone. We help financially distressed companies of all sizes understand their recovery and insolvency options, and we advise out of pocket creditors on what routes they have available. We’re the 3rd largest specialist insolvency firm in the country by volume of liquidation and receivership engagements, and we’re certainly growing in Wellington.
If you advise businesses in any capacity, reach out to me on 021 867 583. Or if you want, just rock up (level 3 Brandon House, Wellington). The coffee is on me.
Bede Henderson
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