Our Licensed Insolvency Practitioners, and advisers, work closely with creditors, and are constantly seeking ways to maximise value in distressed situations. In today’s fast-moving, knowledge-driven economy, tangible assets like property and stock are no longer the only pieces of the puzzle. Increasingly, we’re turning our attention to intangible assets. The elements that are often overlooked and can hold untapped strategic and/or financial worth.
From brand equity and customer data to proprietary technology and online presence, intangible assets are now at the heart of many businesses. But identifying and realising their value (especially under the pressure of insolvency) takes more than a standard approach. It requires insight, creativity, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Why unlocking hidden value matters
When a business enters financial difficulty, traditional recovery routes can fall short if they focus solely on physical or balance-sheet-visible assets. We’ve seen first-hand how intellectual property, digital platforms, and brand reputation can sometimes offer more return potential than inventory or real estate. But only if the assets are understood and handled correctly.
In the latest episode of our podcast The Art of Being an IP, we discussed how intangible assets aren’t always listed on a balance sheet and how we’ve learnt to dig deeper by exploring customer databases, social media traction, licensing agreements, bespoke software, and domain portfolios. We also discussed that it is crucial to remember that employees usually have a solid knowledge of internal systems, software platforms, and control environments. This operational insight is often key to identifying where intangible value resides and how it can be preserved or transferred effectively. We further looked at how we value these assets and the importance of market appetite, buyer fit, and strategic relevance in these situations; as well as how creditors with strong market knowledge are often instrumental in assessing the commercial potential of these assets and guiding recovery strategies. That’s why we work with valuation specialists, like our guest speaker Alexander Muir from Hilco, to uncover the real worth of non-physical assets in specific commercial contexts.
The art of being an IP
Listen to our latest podcast
How the role of a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner (IP) is evolving
As Insolvency Practitioners, our role isn’t just to oversee orderly wind-downs, it’s to uncover hidden opportunities for stakeholders, particularly creditors who depend on asset recovery. Unlocking intangible value is a prime example of how we add strategic depth to insolvency processes.
But we also recognise this isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. Each case demands tailored thinking, sector-specific understanding, and early engagement with both management teams and external specialists.
At Menzies, we’re committed to going beyond the obvious. By focusing on intangible asset value, we’re ensuring that insolvency doesn’t just mark an end to a business, but also a new opportunity for recovery, reinvention, or realisation of value that others might overlook.
Get in contact with our creditor services team to unlock hidden value in your assets.
