CM October 2020

INTERVIEW
AUTHOR – Sean Feast FCICM
be but this is uncharted waters for us all. As the
furlough scheme ends, and Government support
falls away, we will no doubt find ourselves
working closely with customers through their
difficulties and finding the right solutions for
all involved. Communication has always been
important, but it will be more important than
ever in the future.”
PROUD ASSOCIATION
As regards the CICM, Karen is proud of her
association with the Institute and is an active
supporter of its training and qualifications.
She says the CICM is a tremendous source
of learning and knowledge: “In Azzurro Law
we recruit and mold people in the way we
want them to be and that means supporting
them through training and exams with ILEX
(now CILEX) and the CICM,” she continues.
“A team invariably performs well if they feel
invested in, and I always like to promote from
within.”
This passion for learning extends to other
paths of thinking, and in particular what advice
she would give to her younger self if starting
out again today. Actually, as it transpires, it’s not
a million miles away from what she ended up
doing anyway. University, she says, is not always
the right answer: “Over the years I have seen
many intellectually bright trainee lawyers who
can advise clients on the letter of the law, but
who struggle with providing concise commercial
advice tailored to the client’s circumstances.
Sometimes getting practical experience from an
early age is an advantage.”
While building the team is a full-time job,
and innovation remains her passion, Karen still
finds time for a few outdoor pursuits, including
Paddle Boarding and Kayaking – when the
beaches in her hometown of Poole aren’t overrun
with day-trippers. She also likes to indulge
in her other passions of interior design, travel
and shopping. “Who knows,” she says, “if I
started out all over again, I could have been a
buyer for Gucci.” Let’s hope her maths would
have been up to it.
an issue and continues to be,” she explains.
“Our clients are of course concerned about
their reputational risk and when collecting
from a sole trader or small business we have to
be aware of their particular circumstances and
exercise forbearance when we can. The days
of legal firms sending out blanket winding up
petitions for anything over £750 just to show
how tough they were has long since gone.”
Of the future, there is plenty of uncertainty,
notably around customers’ ability to pay: “It is
a business environment we have never been in
before, so it is difficult to predict the outcome,”
Karen continues.
“During the credit crunch, it was in many ways
easier to understand what impact there would
“It is a business focused purely
in the commercial debt space
which I love, and we are bringing
unique and innovative products
to the market.’’
Advancing the credit profession / www.cicm.com / October 2020 / PAGE 23