Ian Currie

Principal

When a client comes to me with a problem, I enjoy the challenge of identifying solutions that benefit the client and stakeholders. It is satisfying to improve the viability of an underperforming business where possible. I give all stakeholders an honest assessment often when they cannot see it, which involves telling the good, the bad and the ugly.

Ian is a registered liquidator with over 30 years' experience in the area of distressed financial management, insolvency and corporate recovery. In January 2010, Ian joined the BRI Ferrier network and formed BRI Ferrier Southern Queensland. Prior to joining BRI Ferrier, Ian headed Currie Biazos Insolvency Accountants for five years and was a partner in a Brisbane based insolvency practice for four years. Prior to this, Ian worked with international firms Ernst & Young and Deloitte in Brisbane, and gained international experience working in Papua New Guinea, the UK, Latvia and Russia. Ian provides advisory on restructuring, voluntary administration, deeds of company arrangement, receivership, liquidation and investigative accountant assignments. He works predominantly with small to medium sized businesses and has extensive experience working with indigenous organisations. Ian’s experience extends across a broad range of industries including telecommunications, property, financial services, retail, tourism, mining, agribusiness, logistics and manufacturing.

Experience

• Appointed voluntary liquidator of Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd, an iconic Australian educational, natural and wildlife photography and publishing business. After an exhaustive marketing campaign, Ian sold the business in its entirety, preserving an iconic Australian brand.
• Appointed liquidator of Impact (Australasia) Fibre Container Industries Pty Ltd, a cardboard box and packaging manufacturing business. As liquidator, Ian secured the sale of the entire production plant to a Spanish cardboard box manufacturer, resulting in the repayment of a significant proportion of the secured creditor’s debt.
• Appointed voluntary administrator to Albo Marine Pty Ltd, an aluminium boat manufacturer. After negotiating the terms of the deed of company arrangement with stakeholders, Ian successfully restructured operations and oversaw the company’s profitable trading for two years, while a percentage of profits were contributed to a deed fund for the benefit of creditors. Ian subsequently returned a profitable business back to the director’s control.
• Appointed voluntary administrator by the board of directors of Coen Regional Aboriginal Corporation (CRAC) based in far north Queensland. CRAC ran several community projects, provided community services and owned and managed a large number of the community’s indigenous housing and commercial properties. Over a five year period, Ian developed and managed a deed of company arrangement which involved the identification and realisation of surplus assets, managing the rental of indigenous and commercial properties and administering government funding for municipal works, repairs and special projects in Coen and indigenous outstations. Over this period, Ian continually worked with the various Coen family clans, indigenous interest groups, lawyers and various State and Federal government departments. Successfully repaying 100 cents in the dollar to unsecured creditors, Ian anticipates returning control of the corporation to the board members in mid 2013 with key property assets intact.
• Appointed voluntary administrator of Red Media Solutions Pty Ltd, a junior telecommunications company. Ian sold the business as a going concern, successfully satisfying the terms of the deed of company arrangement.
• Engaged as an advisor to the administrator of Riga Commercial Bank, Latvia's fifth largest bank, forced to close due to heavy losses on Russian securities. The bank was successfully restructured with financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and other international sources. Additionally, a number of investor banks wrote off large portions of their investment in the bank. Ultimately, the bank maintained its licence and renamed as First Commercial Bank of Latvia.

Qualifications and memberships

• Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) - Queensland University of Technology
• Registered liquidator
• Commissioner for Declarations
• Member, Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association
• Member, CPA Australia
• Member, Governance Institute of Australia