Richard Turton Award

Richard Turton Award

Richard Turton Award 2026

The Richard Turton Award is an annual award funded by INSOL Europe, INSOL International, the Insolvency Practitioners Association and R3, the Association of Business Recovery Professionals, jointly created in recognition of Richard Turton’s unique role in the formation of all four organisations.

The Richard Turton Award provides an educational opportunity for a qualifying participant to attend the INSOL Europe Annual Congress with all expenses paid.

This award will be given to the best paper proposal and will be presented at the INSOL Europe Congress in Vilamoura, Portugal on 15-18 October 2026.

We invite applications from any person who:

• is a national of a developing or emerging market country;
  • works in or studies in the field of insolvency and restructuring law and practice*;
  • is under 35 years of age.

 *Students satisfying the nationality requirement, but studying in another country, are also eligible to apply.

 The successful applicant will:

  • Be invited to attend the INSOL Europe Congress in Vilamoura, Portugal on 15-18 October 2026, all expenses paid.
  • Write a paper of 3,000 words on a subject of insolvency and turnaround agreed with the panel. This paper will be published in summary in one or more of the four Member Associations’ journals and in full on their websites.
  • Be recognised at the congress and receive a framed certificate of the Richard Turton Award.

 If you fulfil the criteria and meet the requirements of the successful applicant, you are invited to apply by sending the following to [email protected]:

  • Your CV.
  • A 200-word statement outlining why you should be chosen.
  • The title and a brief synopsis of your proposed paper.

 For more information and to apply:

Contact Jelena Wenlock 

Application deadline: 5 June 2026

In the words of the winners

What our winners have said...

"The Richard Turton Award will always remain one of the moments that changed my path - a shining moment in my career - and also a promise I make to myself to continue working with passion, to never lose my sense of humanity and to never forget that a true professional is measured by the positive impact they leave behind.

I want to contribute even more to this field, to create solutions that give businesses a second chance and to strengthen my role as a bridge between the parties, as a voice that protects the interests of ordinary people affected by economic decisions. This field is my favourite because where others read balance sheets, I see people. Where others see losses, I see new opportunities. Where others fear challenges, I see reasons to fight. Looking ahead, I believe that this award will open doors to more discussion forums, new projects and collaborations that will allow me to have an even greater impact."
Dorjana Xhamaqi, 2025 Winner

“In addition to granting me access to the INSOL Europe community, winning The Richard Turton Award serves as a springboard to my career in Global Restructuring and Insolvency Practice.”
Emily Onyango, 2024 Winner

“Achieving the Richard Turton Award is more than an award for me. It is a unique and rare opportunity to be part of such a conference and be surrounded by the best professionals and practitioners in the insolvency area. It is also a lifetime experience and a huge motivation for me as a young researcher.”
Marinela Majnova, 2023 Winner

"In the context of systemic crisis caused by COVID-19, the Richard Turton Award represented a unique opportunity to raise awareness of the problems of insolvency legislation in Latin America. [...] Winning the award has allowed me to consolidate as part of the new generations of lawyers who spread this branch of law."
Carla Cervantes Villacorta, 2020 Winner

"This award meant a lot to me. I was the first person in Hungary who won this award. My name has become known in the Hungarian judicial and academic community, and my paper also brought international recognition through Eurofenix: it was cited [...] and read all over the world."
Róbert Muzsalyi, 2016 Winner

"The Richard Turton Award was for me, in 2005, and continues to be today, a launching pad for young people in the field of insolvency. I definitely urge my colleagues, who are at the beginning of the road, to capitalise any chance offered [...] because people of indisputable value are waiting for them, with open arms, to guide their steps in the world of insolvency.”
Lavinia-Olivia Iancu, 2005 Winner

To read more on these testimonials, click here for the article in Eurofenix, INSOL Europe's Journal.

Past Richard Turton Award Winners

2025 - Dorjana Xhamaqi, Albania

Bankruptcy and its Psychological Impact on Individuals: Challenges and Opportunities for Growth

2024 - Emily Onyango, Kenya

Financing corporate rescue in Kenya: The case for a corporate rescue fund

2023 - Marinela Majnova, North Macedonia

Consumer Bankruptcy and the Western Balkan Countries: why do they need it?

2022 - Kayode Olude, Nigeria

Quest for EU harmonisation of cross-border insolvency rules between EU and Non-EU countries; challenges and prospects.

2021 - Abbas Abbasov, Azerbaijan

Protection of dissenting creditors’ interests: Direct application of the “substantive fairness’’ test while considering the recognition of foreign restructuring plans 

2020 - Carla Cervantes, Peru

Necessary reforms: Adaptation of insolvency regimes in Latin America due to the crisis
(Spanish Translation)

2019 - Odwa Ngxingo, Republic of South Africa

Attitudes towards investing capital in restructuring and turnaround situations, and the multiplier effects deriving therefrom

2018 - Yutong Zhang, People's Republic of China

Blockchain: A Chance for Turnaround Procedure Modernization

2017 - Bingdao Wang, People's Republic of China

Belt and Road: Is it an Opportunity for a Regional Insolvency Solution?

2016 - Róbert Muzsalyi, Hungary

Directors’ liability: what should be the minimum harmonisation in the EU?

2015 - Waiswa Abudu-Salam, Uganda

Insolvency Proceedings: A double Edged Debt Collection Tool

2014 - Anant Khandelwal, India

The Phenomenon of Corporate Debt Restructuring in India: How Far Can It Go To Prevent Insolvency?