Leonard Curtis, the Manchester-based corporate restructuring firm, has appointed Colin Mills as its inaugural director of data. The newly created position represents a significant investment in the firm's data, technology and artificial intelligence capabilities as Leonard Curtis pursues rapid expansion under private equity ownership. Mills will lead the delivery of the firm's overarching data strategy across people, operational processes and technology infrastructure.
The appointment comes approximately one year after Pollen Street Capital acquired a majority stake in Leonard Curtis in August 2025, marking an acceleration of the firm's ambitions to scale across product offerings, technology and acquisitions. Mills will focus on building out the firm's data infrastructure, driving analytics and automation, developing internal capability and ensuring data processes are robust and secure. CEO Dan Booth said the firm understands the crucial role data will play in its scaling and development, noting Mills' expertise will help Leonard Curtis understand, improve and make meaningful decisions around data. The appointment coincided with two other technology hires: Chetan Chudasama as enterprise applications manager and Arvin Charchi as information security manager.
Mills brings over 20 years of experience leading data and artificial intelligence strategy across UK's most prominent organisations in financial services, telecommunications and healthcare. He has held senior roles at Acacium Group, Provident Financial, Barclaycard and other major institutions. Throughout his career, Mills has architected enterprise cloud data platforms, led award-recognised international teams and delivered data solutions that drove measurable gross margin growth and productivity gains. His expertise spans Azure cloud transformation, data governance frameworks, AI strategy and compliance across heavily regulated industries including GDPR and HIPAA requirements. Mills has also managed enterprise cloud platform design, established global data divisions and deployed data frameworks linked to earnings and revenue generation.
Leonard Curtis operates as one of the UK's largest independent corporate restructuring specialists, with over 30 years in business and a national presence spanning more than 30 offices across the UK and offshore. The Manchester-headquartered firm employs over 350 professionals and offers restructuring, insolvency, legal, funding, M&A advisory and business services to SMEs and corporates. Following Pollen Street's acquisition, the firm has rapidly expanded its service offerings, including launching a new M&A advisory practice and opening its 30th UK office. The firm operates as a member of Nexia International, a global network of accounting and consulting firms.
The appointment suggests Leonard Curtis intends data capabilities as a competitive differentiator as it expands its service portfolio within the fragmented UK professional services sector. Creating a board-level data director position during a period of aggressive growth under private equity ownership indicates management confidence in the strategic importance of data-driven decision-making for client advisory work and internal operations. The simultaneous hiring of managers for enterprise applications and information security suggests a coordinated platform investment strategy rather than isolated functional expansion. This approach aligns with broader trends in professional services, where data analytics and technology infrastructure increasingly underpin advisory quality and operational efficiency in competitive markets.
