CM May 2020

CICMQ
Engineering excellence
in Credit Management
AMEY PLC has achieved CICMQ re-accreditation, demonstrating Best
Practice in Credit Management. Pam Thomas FCICM, CICMQ Assessor,
says that since the last CICMQ Assessment in 2017, the credit team
have continued to develop excellent policies and processes that
serve the business as a whole: “The team are all well trained and fully
aware of their responsibilities, and have created strong links with
stakeholders,” she said.
A key assessment area in which they have continued to excel
in is personal and professional development, with more than half
of the team engaging in, working towards and/or achieving CICM
qualifications. Becky Woods ACICM, Head of Credit and Collections at
Amey PLC, says she wanted the team to receive the recognition that
they deserve for all the incredible work that they have achieved to date.
CICMQ accreditation all part
of the plan for Saint-Gobain
THE Credit Management team at Saint-Gobain UK &
Ireland has delivered outstanding results to achieve
CICMQ accreditation.
“In 2016 the leadership team formulated and
outlined our strategy to take the department forward,”
says Rob O’Neill, Head of Credit Management at Saint-
Gobain UK & Ireland. “Achieving CICMQ Accreditation
was integral to this plan to build on the work we have
done around customer service, KPI measurement and
achieving results. Laura Brown and Rosie Fitzsimons,
the other key members of my leadership team were
vital to driving the changes required to deliver
success’’
COVID-19 & NEWS ROUND UP
Yoga party
AMIDST the chaos of Covid19
pandemic, Innovation Software is
exploiting the skills of its Director of
Client Services, Caroline Lyons, to help
clients with their health and wellbeing.
Caroline, a qualified yoga instructor,
is offering online yoga classes to help
keep clients’ minds and bodies active
and healthy, as well as providing
tips and tricks on how to work more
efficiently from home.
AIRE apparent
AIRE, the credit insight service, is
offering free access to its range of realtime
credit information services until
the end of May, to help lenders identify
and engage with struggling consumers
during the unfolding Coronavirus
crisis. Aire estimates that the number
of people in the UK missing one or
more credit payments could increase
from around 700,000 last year to more
than two million in 2020. Aire says that
the insights it can provide include job
stability, as well as changes to income
and household savings levels.
Buck off
SHORT-term lender, Uncle Buck
Finance LLP, has been forced to
call in administrators following the
failure to meet sufficient resources for
Threshold Conditions. The Financial
Conduct Authority (FCA) put in place
regulations to stop Uncle Buck from
lending to customers, due to the
latter’s deteriorating financial position
and failed attempts to raise capital.
Administrators are seeking to sell the
company’s assets.
Poles apart
AS highlighted in a recent issue of Credit
Management, FECMA’s 4th European
Credit Congress was due to take place in
Poland in May 2020. Due to the current
travel and safety restrictions impacting
daily activity around the world, the
Congress is now scheduled to take place
on 26 and 27 August 2020. For more
information about the event, please
contact governance@cicm.com
Off the menu
ITALIAN restaurant chain Carluccio’s
has been placed into administration,
blaming the Coronavirus and the
inability to access government loans.
Up to 2,000 jobs may be at risk.
BrightHouse collapse
COVID-19 social distancing regulations
have had devastating effects on
businesses around the globe, especially
rent-to-own retailer BrightHouse which
has gone into administration. At the
time of going to press the future of its
2,400-strong workforce was still in
doubt. Chris Laverty, Andrew Charters
and Sarah O’Toole of Grant Thornton
were appointed joint administrators and
are seeking buyers for the business.
STOP PRESS
The sad news has reached us that
Paul Mudge FCICM, former ICM
President and the first Chief Executive
of Registry Trust has died. An obituary
will follow in the next issue.
Worthy of Merit
THE Institute’s Executive Board has
agreed that Tracey Westell FCICM, Dee
Weston FCICM and Derek Scott FCICM
be granted the Meritorious Service
Award for 2020. The Award is granted
as a rare recognition of an exceptional
contribution to the Institute and
awards will be presented to Tracey,
Dee and Derek later this year.
Advancing the credit profession / www.cicm.com / May 2020 / PAGE 8