A SALISBURY business recovery specialist has been nominated for the Woman of the Year award.

Julie Palmer, regional managing partner for business rescue and recovery specialist Begbies Traynor in the south west and Wales, has been shortlisted for the prestigious award.

Blake Morgan Restructuring and Insolvency nominated Mrs Palmer, who heads up a network of 12 offices from Southampton to Swansea, for the Business Magazine’s Women in Business 2014, Woman of the Year Award in the Large Business category.

The nomination comes after Mrs Palmer led an expansion drive, which saw Begbies Traynor open new offices in Swindon, Oxford and Swansea.

Mrs Palmer said: “It is an absolute privilege to be nominated for this award, which I know is hugely respected by the business community across the Thames Valley and Solent areas.

“I would like to thank the team at Blake Morgan for thinking of me and ultimately the regional team at Begbies Traynor, who have worked so hard to develop and grow the business by demonstrating their immense talent in assisting businesses with financial problems.”

Based in Salisbury, Mrs Palmer oversees the running of Begbies Traynor’s offices in Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Bournemouth and Southampton, Portsmouth, Brighton plus Oxford, Salisbury, Swindon, Cardiff and Swansea.

An Oxford law graduate, Mrs Palmer has risen to regional managing partner level after successfully managing many high-profile insolvency and restructuring cases, including successful sales of Bournemouth Football Club, Bristol Rugby Club, Shakeaway and Mostyns.

And last year, her team scooped South West Regional Insolvency Practitioner Firm of the Year award in the national Insolvency and Rescue Awards.

Additionally, Mrs Palmer sits on the national council of R3 – the UK’s professional association of business recovery professionals, as well as working with policy groups.

Mrs Palmer will be competing against five further finalists at the Women in Business 2014 Awards on September 11 at Oakley Hall, near Basingstoke.

Mrs Palmer lives near Salisbury with her husband Mark and nine-year-old daughter Polly.