Richard founded and led Lazard’s restructuring advisory business in Europe, where he built a lasting and preeminent investment banking advisory practice, that remains one of the premier houses for large and complex deals.

He has now retired from Lazard after 32 years to found Fulcrum Partners.

Richard has spent the last 30 years advising companies and groups of creditors in many of the largest and most complicated restructurings in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the US.

His wide experience includes fallout from the bursting of the telecom and internet financing bubble in the late 90’s and early 2000s; challenges in the repeated cycles of the commodities and steel industries; the banking crisis in 2008/2009; the consequent collapse in the Middle East, particularly Dubai; financing challenges in property markets; issues in the cyclical shipping, oil and gas and retail industries; and more recently the challenges for many companies caused by Covid.

He has been involved in many of the most significant in and out of court refinancing and restructurings across EMEA, including: Abengoa, Afrisam, Amey, British Vita, Colonial, Corus, Derby Cycle, DIC, Edcon, Endermol, Eurotunnel, Evraz, Expro, Gate Gourmet, General Ore, GCX, GHG, Hibu, Interserve, Jurys Inns, Marconi, Olympic Airways, Parmalat, Paroc, Punch Taverns, NAC, Regency Casinos, Seadrill, Selecta, Softbank/WeWork, Swissair, Swissmetal, Torm, UPC, Versatel, Vestia and Vue.

Clients of Richard have commented that: “What stands out is the ability to navigate different stakeholder groups and drive for consensus, never giving up until the deal is done.”

Richard’s aim in founding Fulcrum Partners is to provide a more focused and senior service directly to management teams in crisis situations, where he and his partners can bring their vast experience directly to the board table, alongside other directors.

Richard has an Engineering degree from Durham; qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Arthur Andersen; and is an alumni of Insead.

Richard is married with two adult children, has two labradors, lives in London, but enjoys escaping on a regular basis to the green fields of West Sussex.