Phillips & Cohen Associates (UK) Ltd, the Manchester-based deceased account management business, is acquiring 100% of Ardent Credit Services, the Liverpool-based debt recovery and credit management services provider.
The move is part of a long-term strategy to expand Phillips & Cohen Associates’ expertise and scale within the pre and post charge-off collections space in the UK and internationally.
In acquiring Ardent Credit Services, PCA is adding 26-years of proven expertise and excellence in the UK collections industry. PCA was attracted to Ardent’s ‘digital first’ approach that allows its customers to choose the most appropriate channels through which to interact. The business also has a highly experienced executive team and employees who have proven themselves to consistently find the right balance between compassion for consumers, and performance and compliance for their clients.
Adam Cohen, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Phillips & Cohen Associates, says that Ardent is the perfect fit: “It has always been part of our plan to expand our mainstream collection activities outside of the US, but without diluting the expertise in handling deceased accounts for which we have an established reputation and expertise.”
“Ardent is an extremely successful business and the right opportunity at the right time. Culturally, we are very similar, with compassion and compliance at the centre of all we do, and a like-minded approach to how customers should be treated above and beyond the remit of TCF.”
Steve Murray, the Founder and CEO of Ardent Credit Services added: “This is great news for the business, the team, and our future. We are like-minded companies with the same service ethic and being part of the Phillips & Cohen family will allow us to benefit from wider group knowledge and services. PCA’s investment in Ardent is also an investment in the local community, with exciting plans for expansion. Many of the senior team of the two businesses have been known to one another for many years, and this will make the collaboration even more effective.”
The senior team within Ardent all remain. John Ricketts continues as Managing Director, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer at Phillips & Cohen Associates, Nick Cherry. Steve has also agreed to stay with the company in the short-to-mid-term to ensure a smooth transition of the business. Upon completion, Ardent Credit Services will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Phillips & Cohen Associates (UK) Ltd.
Nick Cherry says that the ambition is to grow the business significantly: “The office in Liverpool give us the perfect space we need to expand,” he says. “The local area is also important to us with an excellent pool of very hardworking talent to draw upon for future recruitment to support our growth. As much as we are benefiting from the local community, we hope and expect the local community will also benefit from being part of our team.”
Completion is subject to final approval by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is expected later this year.
