Strengthening our Debt Recovery Capability with New Partner Appointment

We are delighted to have appointed Gemma Baker as a partner to strengthen our growing debt and asset recovery team.

With 23 years’ experience in the debt recovery sector, Gemma extensive operational, regulatory and client management expertise to the firm.

Gemma – who will be working with clients nationally – has joined from Wright Hassall Solicitors, where she was head of operations and client relationship manager for its debt recovery division.

She led a team of 53-strong team and oversaw placement volumes of up to 120,000 new matters per month, driving revenue growth, digital transformation and high-performing outcomes for major clients in the utilities, telecoms, financial services, retail and public sectors. She was recently named on Credit Connect UK’s 2025 Industry Leaders list.

Her track record includes managing major utility and telecoms portfolios; spearheading a digital transformation programme that introduced a self-serve customer portal; delivering complex outsourcing solutions; and successfully leading multiple client and regulatory audits.

In her new role, Gemma will be responsible for driving further growth across the firm’s debt recovery offering, with a focus on enhancing client service delivery, ensuring regulatory compliance, identifying efficiencies, strengthening digital capability and supporting long-term strategic planning.

Gemma said: “Shakespeare Martineau has an outstanding reputation and a culture that supports excellence, innovation and long-term client relationships.

“The firm’s values align closely with mine, especially its commitment to delivering high-quality, compliant services in a highly regulated environment.

“I’m excited to work with a talented team, continue to build strong client partnerships and use data-driven insight to enhance operational performance and support growth.”

Jayne Gardner, partner and head of debt and asset recovery, said: “We are delighted to welcome Gemma to the debt and asset recovery department here at Shakespeare Martineau.

“Her extensive operational experience, industry insight and proven leadership in delivering large-scale, compliant debt recovery services make her an exceptional addition to our team.

“As demand continues to grow from both new and longstanding clients, Gemma’s appointment strengthens our ability to deliver high-quality, technology-enabled solutions across the sectors we support.”

We have an established and well-regarded debt and asset recovery practice, with a dedicated team of more than 70 specialists provides a full service for both business-to-business and business-to-consumer collections.

The team handles domestic and international pre-legal collections, litigation and mediation, and offers bespoke case management and transparent fee structures tailored to each client’s needs.

With a strong focus on keeping costs low, protecting client reputation, and delivering effective outcomes with empathy and professionalism, the team is regarded as a trusted extension of many clients’ internal credit functions.