Robert Smith

In this insightful discussion, Robert Smith and Ortenca Aliaj, both Financial Times editors, unravel the shocking collapse of First Brands Group, a small auto parts supplier with a staggering $12 billion in hidden debt. They explore the opaque financing tactics that obscured financial risks and discuss the lack of due diligence by lenders. From Patrick James's mysterious background to the broader implications for private credit, they raise critical concerns about the future of funding practices in a post-2008 financial landscape.