The Forward Thinking conference
Source: gov.uk (2025-05-01)

The conference, organised by the Insolvency Service, provides a link between academia, the insolvency sector and policymakers with a platform for insolvency research and technical discussion.

The UK is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading insolvency legislative frameworks and with expert professionals that are well regulated and a world class judiciary.

The Insolvency Service launched the Forward Thinking conference to help maintain the UK as a centre of excellence for insolvency and to connect with key stakeholders.

Working alongside partners from the public, private and academic sectors, the Forward Thinking conference showcases academic papers on insolvency policy and legal matters and technical issues relating to operational insolvency experience.

Forward Thinking 2025

The conference co-hosted by UCL Laws was the most popular to date, with both in-person and online audiences sold out.

The agenda featured:
- Leveraging Behavioural Economics to Optimize Personal Insolvency Policies by Dr Neeti Shikha, University of the West of England, Bristol
- The development of Special Administration Regimes in the UK by Robert Spence & Mike Pink, Interpath
- A Critical Review of Special Administrations by Professor Rebecca Parry, Nottingham Trent University
- Enlightening the Creditor Duty by Dr Philip Gavin, Technological University Dublin
- Environmental Activism by Parent Companies: Legal Incentives and Economic Realities by Professor Irit Mevorach, University of Warwick
- The Cramdown: A Conceptual Framework by Dr Riz Mokal, South Square, and Professor Stephan Madaus, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
- Lay of the Landlord Classes: Trends from Part 26A Restructuring Plans by Philip Hertz, Katelyn Ewart & Alice Odolant, Clifford Chance
- Landlords and Part 26A Restructuring Plans by Professor Sarah Paterson, LSE
- Cryptoassets in Insolvencies: Selected Difficulties and Necessary Guidelines by Professor Rebecca Parry & Professor Paula Moffatt, Nottingham Trent University
Click here for videos of the talks and their accompanying papers (https://sites.google.com/view/forward-thinking-2025/home).

Forward Thinking 2023

Co-hosted by University of Liverpool, the 2023 conference has no over-riding theme. Instead, papers were invited on 10 suggested subject matters of particular interest. The response resulted in a great variety in the agenda:

Corporate Insolvency Regimes Through The Years: Have We Got It Right With The Regimes We Have? by Professor Andrew Keay, University of Leeds and Professor Peter Walton, University of Wolverhampton

Diversifying Rescue: Corporate Rescue And The Models Of Receivership by Dr Bolanle Adebola, University of Reading

The “New” Connected Persons Administration Regulations, 2 Years On: An Evaluators Perspective by Stuart Hopewell FCICM, Pre Pack Pool Ltd

The FCA’s Consumer Duty And Its Potential Implications For The Insolvency Sector by Katie Hudson, FCA

Insolvencies Of Gas And Electricity Suppliers, Meghan Bryson & Ian Gill, Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

UK Law Governed Contracts And Their Modification In Foreign Insolvency Proceedings by Professor Gerard McCormack, University of Leeds

X Marks The Cross-Border Restructuring Spot? The Gibbs Past And The Model Laws Future by Professor Irit Mevorach, University of Warwick and Dr Riz Mokal, South Square Chambers

In Defence Of The Rule In Gibbs by Professor Sarah Paterson, London School of Economics and Political Science

Disqualification Of Directors And Education Requirements Dr Neeti Shikha, University of Bradford and Professor Rebecca Parry, Nottingham Trent University

Click here for videos of the talks and their accompanying papers (https://sites.google.com/view/forward-thinking-2023/home).

Forward Thinking 2022: Insolvency response in uncertain times

In 2022, the theme was ‘Insolvency response in uncertain times’. It was held at Nottingham Trent University on 18 November 2022. The agenda featured:
- The dynamics of the cost-of-living crisis: Desperation borrowing, the economic problem of the debt overhang and the changing role of personal insolvency by Dr Katharina Möser, University of Birmingham
- The effects of insolvency practitioner firms’ and secured financial creditors’ market share and their prior relationship on direct insolvency costs by Professor Yvonne Joyce and Dr Betty Wu, University of Glasgow
- Enabling greater use of section 216 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (‘IA86’), ‘Restriction on re-use of company names’ by Ben Luxford of R3 and Stewart Perry from Fieldfisher LLP
- A multi-case study database of reporting matters in insolvency practitioner reports to creditors by Professor Yvonne Joyce, University of Glasgow and Eileen Maclean, Insolvency Support Services
- In the matter of Baglan Operations Limited [2022] EWHC 647 (Ch): the future of trading liquidations? by Philip Hertz, Melissa Coakley, Giles Allison and Robert Davey of Clifford Chance
- Communitarianism and the public interest in large corporate insolvencies: Future directions for value and potential in commonweal undertakings by Dr John Tribe, University of Liverpool
- Dealing with large insolvent companies where the public interest intrudes: Some forward thinking by Professor Andrew Keay, University of Leeds and Professor Peter Walton, University of Wolverhampton
- “A thing that has no value does not exist” by Dr Stephen Baister, Manolete Partners
Click here for videos of the talks and their accompanying papers (https://sites.google.com/view/forwardthinkingconference2022/home).

Forward Thinking 2021: Insolvency strategies for a post pandemic economy

The theme of the inaugural conference was ‘Insolvency strategies for a post pandemic economy’, and it was held at Aston University, Birmingham on 19 November 2021. The agenda consisted of:
- Should we rescue in Insolvency? by Dr Kayode Akintola, Dr Sofia Ellina and Professor David Milman
- Rescuing Companies or their Creditors: The role of the Company Voluntary Arrangement as a rescue procedure in the UK by Dr Sue Morgan of Enigma Resource Group
- Individual insolvency - The case for a single gateway by Professor Peter Walton
- Should administration or compulsory liquidation be the process of choice for large strategic insolvencies? by Inga West
- Rehabilitating the Prepack: A framework for fine tuning the new regulations by Dr Alfonso Nocilla and Dr Riz Mokal
- Transforming Perceptions: The Development of Pre-pack Regulations in England & Wales by Dr Bolanle Adebola
- A Matter of Forms. The use of applications and claim forms in insolvency proceedings: the case for reform by Dr Stephen Baister
- An insolvency regime to support the digital economy by Professor Rebecca Parry
- A panel of academics, technical experts and policy professionals reflect on the conference proceedings
Click here for videos of the talks and their accompanying papers (https://sites.google.com/view/forwardthinkingconference2021/home).

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