Demystifying First Brands Group’s $ 12 Billion Bankruptcy | Robert Smith of the Financial Times

Robert Smith, Corporate Finance Editor at the FT, joins Jack to discuss the recent $12 billion bankruptcy of First Brands Group that has shocked the financial world. He explains the history of First Brands, its collapse, and the company’s ongoing bankruptcy proceedings. Robert also discusses the larger world of private credit and if First Brands is the first of many ‘credit cockroaches.’ The bankruptcy is of particular interest given the fact that it could be a signal of further problems on the horizon of the private credit market. Recorded on November 21st, 2025. Follow Jack Farley on Twitter https://x.com/jackfarley96 Follow Monetary Matters on: Apple Podcasts https://rb.gy/s5qfyh Spotify https://rb.gy/x56dx5 YouTube https://rb.gy/dpwxez Follow Robert Smith on Twitter https://x.com/BondHack Follow Robert Smith on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/bondhack.ft.com Read Robert’s FT Articles https://www.ft.com/robert-smith First Brands Collapse in a Nutshell https://on.ft.com/48ptTUu