Who We Are

Peter Sargent – Chair

Peter is an Insolvency Practitioner with more than 35 years of insolvency experience. Most recently, he was a partner at Begbies Traynor (Halifax office), following the acquisition of his firm, Sargent and Co, which he established in 1995.

Peter is also a former R3 president, a position he held at the height of the last economic recession.



Sue Ireland – Trustee

Sue had a long career in the NHS in a number of management roles, most recently as Company Secretary at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.  For several years, she also managed the press and communications function at the trust.

Sue is currently a Director of a small family business based in Stockport, which is a wholesale distributor of goods for the model and hobby trade and is an active member of the University of the Third Age.



Kathryn Maclennan – Trustee

Kathryn qualified as a solicitor in 2001. She has worked in private practice since then and joined KBL Solicitors as Partner and Head of Insolvency in 2019. Kathryn is also an an associate member of R3 (the Association of Business Recovery Professionals).



David Rodger – Chief Executive Officer

David brings with him a wealth of experience from many years served in the consumer debt advice industry. A graduate of the University of Birmingham, David began his working life in the public sector with Salford Social Services before becoming marketing manager of Debt Free Direct Ltd in 2005, where he made a strong contribution to establishing and consolidating the company’s leadership within the debt advice sector. David was appointed Head of Media at Fairpoint Group PLC in 2007 and joined Debt Advice Foundation in December 2008 as CEO.



Brian Souter MBE – Education Manager

Brian retired from teaching in 2012 having spent more than 25 years as Deputy Headteacher at Southlands High School in Chorley, Lancashire. In 2002, he was awarded an MBE for Services to Education and in the same year he won the prestigious North-West Lifetime Teaching Award. In 2013, Brian joined Debt Advice Foundation as Education Manager and is responsible for developing the charity’s DebtAware Progamme.