Matt Dunham, who clocked up more than 30 years’ experience in the insolvency and restructuring business, has died suddenly aged just 55

One of the North West’s best known and “widely respected” insolvency and restructuring practitioners, Matt Dunham, has died suddenly aged just 55.

Mr Dunham, who was married with two children, began his his career with the big four firm EY, and also worked at RSM Robson Rhodes, BDO, Grant Thornton and Smith & Williamson before setting up Liverpool-based Dunham Dean Advisory with former EY colleague John Dean in 2017.

He clocked up more than 30 years’ experience in the industry during which time he advised on many high-profile cases including the charity Kids Company and was administrator of Bury and Barnsley Football Clubs.

A former North West chair of the insolvency and restructuring trade body R3, he was also a frequent commentator in the media on insolvency issues.

An expert on football finance, Mr Dunham advised more than 30 football league and non-league clubs on solvency issues. He was a respected expert witness and more recently was advising the Forever Bury group on its campaign to save the club

Last year he gave evidence to the Parliamentary Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee as part of its investigation into football club administrations. Matt was also retained by the English Football League (EFL) to advise on sporting sanctions.

He also advised owner-managed and family businesses and many not-for-profit organisations on restructuring and helped to save the national adoption charity, the British Association for Adoptions and Fostering.

He leaves a wife, Sue, and two children. Mr Dunham was a keen cyclist and a season ticket holder at Wigan Athletic. Since 2018 he had also been a Trustee of the Liverpool and Merseyside Theatre Trust, which includes the Everyman Theatre.

John Dean, partner at Dunham Dean, said: “Our thoughts are with Matt’s wife, children, family and friends at this incredibly sad time.

“Matt was widely-respected for his pragmatic approach and had an ability to guide clients through complex issues in a clear and concise way.  I know that he will be greatly missed by so many people both personally and professionally.”