Gerard Syddall, founder of Elmfield Training, has been disqualified from being a company director for six years for breaching his fiduciary duty.

According to the government’s insolvency service, Elmfield is one of the UK’s largest providers of apprenticeships and pre-employment training.

An Insolvency Service statement, issued on Friday, said Elmfield went into liquidation in November 2013, disclosing liabilities of more than £13m.

Insolvency Service investigators found that in March 2013, when Elmfield was experiencing cashflow difficulties and attempting to negotiate a time-to-pay agreement with a creditor which was not ratified, Syddall gave an undertaking to the board of directors that he would not use company funds for his own benefit. 

However Syddall, as well as other people and another company connected to him, received payments totalling almost £954k. When Elmfield went into administration, Syddall owed it £2.6m.  

Syddall was adjudged bankrupt in April 2015 on the petition of HM Revenue & Customs.

As well as not being able to act as a company director for six years, Syddall cannot directly or indirectly take part in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership; or be a receiver of a company’s property. 

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