Michael Ozawa

Michael has over 30 years of experience in restructuring, insolvency, bankruptcy, and business wind ups on behalf of debtors, owners and investors. Michael has also served fiduciary and officer roles as an independent director, assignee, Chapter 7 trustee, liquidating trustee, chief restructuring officer and interim chief financial officer. He is a Certified Insolvency & Restructuring Advisor (“CIRA”), a Certified Public Accountant with a financial forensics' specialization credential (“CPA/CFF”), a Certified Global Management Accountant (“CGMA”) and a Certified Fraud Examiner (“CFE”).
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Michael’s primary clientele consists of small- and medium-sized businesses ("SMBs") to which he brings his years of experience consulting with large-scale enterprises. He has experience across many industries and sectors, including manufacturing, distribution, retail, consumer products, beauty, and food.
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Michael works side-by-side with senior management and operating teams to identify strategic options, develop supporting work plans, and lead the execution of those plans.  In addition to providing third-party credibility, Michael often oversees treasury activities, builds-out operating, financial and cash flow budgets, prepares and maintains 13-week rolling cash forecasts, negotiates with senior secured lenders and unsecured creditors, identifies cost-saving opportunities, and spearheads refinancing and sell-side transaction efforts. On behalf of the client, Michael coordinates with other professionals, such as attorneys, investment bankers, brokers, appraisers, prospective buyers, and liquidators. In this regard, Michael serves as a resource so management can focus on core business operations.
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Previously, Michael was a partner in the bankruptcy and restructuring group at PricewaterhouseCoopers (“PwC”) and a senior managing director in the corporate finance and restructuring group at FTI Consulting.
 
Michael is a member of the global executive board of the Turnaround Management Association ("TMA")  and a past president and board member of the TMA Southern California Chapter, a member of the Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors, the Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum, the American Bankruptcy Institute, the California Receivers Forum, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants. Michael earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics – Business from the University of California at Los Angeles.