Interpath Advisory, the independent financial advisory business, is growing its South West-based team with a number of promotions and appointments.
Formerly the UK restructuring practice of global accountancy group KPMG, Interpath Advisory offers a broad range of specialisms to help organisations facing challenges and navigate opportunities. 
Lee Swinerd has been appointed a director and will lead the Interpath team in Bristol, overseeing 15 staff in the city.
Lee, pictured below, is an experienced financial advisor having worked at KPMG’s restructuring practice for 29 years, including in its Bristol and New York offices.
He specialises in a range of advisory services including operational and financial restructuring, transformation, and supplier risk management and has a particular interest in the automotive sector.
Interpath has also promoted two members of its South West team, with Ben Freer becoming an associate director and James Lovett becoming a manager.
The moves come as part of a wider national promotion round involving 35 Interpath employees.
In addition, Interpath has welcomed a new graduate to the South West team. Laura Chavda will receive a training contract as part of a three-year programme to ACA (Associate Chartered Accountant) qualification. 
She is part of the first cohort of 12 graduates who joined Interpath’s new graduate recruitment programme in September.
The appointments at Interpath follow the recent promotion of Sarah Collins to managing director.
While primarily based in the firm’s Reading office, Sarah's remit stretches across the South West and Thames Valley markets.
She will lead on insolvency appointments and work with Lee Swinerd on restructuring advisory engagements across the South West.
Lee said: “I am delighted to be heading up our team and to announce the recent promotions of Ben and James – our first tranche of promotions since we launched as an independent business six months ago.
“This investment in our local team is particularly significant given the increasing demand from our clients for support and advice, whether that’s around areas of risk and challenge, or around areas of opportunity.
“Over the past six months, our people have worked tirelessly to help organisations navigate their way through some of the most testing market conditions in recent history – all while adapting to new ways of working shaped by the pandemic, and of course, adapting to our new life as an independent business.”
Interpath Advisory was formed to buy KPMG’s UK restructuring practice in a deal backed by private equity group HIG Capital and completed in May.
