CRM invests in Leeds base to grow Yorkshire business

CRM has confirmed the long-term investment in a Leeds-based office as the company looks to expand its service offering across Yorkshire.

The firm works with asset-based lenders, restructuring and insolvency firms and other advisers to devise proactive strategies to deal with a range of financial challenges for companies in distress and non-distress circumstances.

Based at Park Row in the old Lloyds building at the heart of Leeds’ finance and professional services district, CRM is perfectly placed to provide credit management advisory and related services to its Yorkshire network of funders and referrers.

The satellite office is jointly led by Head of Recoveries Lee Scott, who brings 30 years of experience in legal debt recovery to the region, and Senior Relationship Manager Chris Pickles, who joined CRM from Yorkshire Bank, latterly Virgin Money 11 months ago, with over 15 years experience working in invoice finance.

Today Chris helps look after early intervention credit management and cash flow advisory work to help businesses try to recover from a wealth of issues.

He commented: “Yorkshire has a strong community of professional advisors and it is great to be located close to referrers who can chat through client issues over a coffee.

“This is a good time to be talking to businesses who are facing unprecedented pressures, energy price rises, and other challenges, bringing expertise to their situations – whether it’s debt recovery, debt security, or simple good habits with credit control. It makes a big difference to business success and funder confidence.”

Both are also enjoying the work-life balance that comes from having an office close to where they live. Chris again: “Everyone we speak to in professional services says this makes a real difference to health and wellbeing and we know it’s made us a lot more productive.”

Being based in Leeds allows Lee Scott to bring legal debt recovery skills to the local market, a unique addition to CRM’s market-leading offering and position, with the focus firmly on intelligent solutions around forbearance and negotiation.

Lee added: “It’s great to be based here, with an ear to the ground on Yorkshire work, bringing our specific skill set to bear. Many of our referring communities have opened here so it is good to be expanding too and sharing their ambitions for the sector in Yorkshire.”

The economic picture for the city is optimistic according to the recent EY Regional Economic Forecast. It reports that the Leeds economy is expected to grow quicker than the rest of Yorkshire and the Humber between 2024 and 2026, with the city also forecast to keep pace
with the national rate of growth over the same period.

Tony Roche, Director at CRM’s Salford HQ commented: “One of the things that has made CRM the leading force in our market is speed of response in a distress situation.

“Having Lee and Chris in a Leeds base means we can react quicker to client needs across the city and Yorkshire as a whole. We are looking forward to building on their connections and growing our presence across the county.”