Cyber-security outfit Payfont goes bust with 12 job losses

Payfont was led by chief executive David Lanc. Picture: Contributed

Administrator Donald McNaught, restructuring partner at accountancy and business advisory firm Johnston Carmichael, said the move will see all 12 of the company’s staff made redundant.

McNaught said that Payfont, founded by chief executive David Lanc – a former senior executive at Royal Bank of Scotland’s cards business – had been trying to raise extra funds to continue trading, but “time ran out”.

Lanc, the company’s main shareholder, said the firm was “deeply disappointed” about going into voluntary administration, adding: “We are doing this before we run out of working capital.

“My sincere thanks go to the incredible Payfont team who have worked tirelessly to build our world-leading technology. Unfortunately, Payfont, as we know it today, will no longer exist.

“We had assembled a highly talented and specialist computer engineering team with sought-after skills. I wish the team well and hope to work with this fantastic band of brothers and sisters again.”

In 2015, the firm secured a £1.2m cash injection, and last year Martin Brassell, the boss of Inngot, a company that specialises in valuing IP, said it could be worth between £106.7m and £180.3m.

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Payfont was founded 14 years ago and was developing technology designed to protect users’ digital identities and online data.

McNaught said: “The difficult decision to enter administration was made by the directors when it became clear that ongoing commitments could not be met from available working capital.

“Efforts had been made in the months leading up to administration to raise sufficient capital to allow trading to continue but unfortunately time ran out for that fundraising exercise to be completed successfully. Our objective now is to maximise value for creditors and, ultimately, shareholders.”

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