Yin Lee, President

IPA Insolvency Practitioner newsletter, June 2025

I thank Adrian Hyde, the Immediate Past President for his dedication to the IPA and his excellent leadership in the past year.  

I’m honoured to begin my term as President of the IPA. Being the first Asian President in the IPA’s 63-year history is an important moment in our organisation’s history.

We also celebrate another ‘first’: An all-female office holder team – Louise Britain as Vice President and Amanda Wade as Deputy Vice President. I am looking forward to working with them both.

It is humbling to take on this role, especially knowing how many dedicated professionals make up this industry. Like many of you, I’ve had my fair share of battles balancing work and life, pushing through setbacks, and navigating a profession that often demands more than we let on. That’s why I want my presidency to focus on two key priorities: social mobility and mental health.

I started life in a South London comprehensive school. Evenings and weekends were filled with working in my parent’s Chinese takeaway. I was known as the ‘takeaway girl’. Without connections or a blueprint for success, it was grit, kindness from a few key people, and resilience that helped me get here. I want to make it easier for others to enter and thrive in this profession, regardless of where they went to school, who they know, or what they look like.

This year, I’ll be working with the IPA to identify practical ways we can encourage broader access such as mentoring and outreach. The talent is out there. We just need to make sure the door is open.

We also know this profession can be tough. The pressures of this work in dealing with distressed individuals, tight deadlines, and constant change. But we rarely talk about the toll it takes on everyone. We need to.

I want to normalise those conversations, offer support tools, and encourage a culture of kindness and balance. The IPA is already doing important work in this area, and I’m proud to build on that. If we’re serious about supporting professionals, mental wellbeing must be a core part of the conversation.

I see my Presidential year as the chance to listen to what our members actually want and to do something that makes a difference. Changes we can implement to make our profession even better. Please do reach out and I will do my best to listen and action.

I look forward to seeing many of you at the Roadshows throughout the year and here’s to a successful, compassionate and inclusive year ahead.