Trade finance’s breakout moment

Trade finance’s breakout moment

From Critical thinking by Mercer, a Marsh business

March 25, 2026 · 18 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the rise of trade finance as alternative lenders fill the gap left by traditional banks in short-term lending.

As traditional banks step back from short-term lending due to regulatory pressures, a significant gap has opened up in global commerce, and alternative lenders are stepping in. In our latest episode of the Critical Thinking podcast, Deborah Wardle sits down with Gerard Sheehan and Gavin Dredge to unpack why trade finance is becoming one of the fastest-growing areas in private credit. They explore the origins, challenges, and opportunities of trade finance, and why it has become interesting fo...

People in this episode

Host: Deborah Wardle

Guests: Gerard Sheehan, Gavin Dredge

Topics covered

  • trade finance
  • short-term lending
  • alternative lending
  • private credit growth
  • global commerce
  • financial challenges
  • investment opportunities

Keywords

  • trade finance
  • short-term lending
  • alternative lenders
  • private credit
  • global commerce
  • financial regulations
  • investment opportunities

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: traditional banks, alternative lenders, private credit

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