Robert Smith
@bondhack.ft.com
Corporate Finance Editor at the Financial Times.
Have a tip? Email: robert.smith@ft.com / robert.smith.ft@proton.me | Signal: robert_smith_ft.55
Have a tip? Email: robert.smith@ft.com / robert.smith.ft@proton.me | Signal: robert_smith_ft.55
Pinned
Robert Smith
@bondhack.ft.com
· Nov 1
If you're after a wild weekend read, check out our deep dive into the flashy Utah leasing firm that somehow racked up $2bn of exposure to the First Brands debt debacle
Featuring prominent Mormon sports stars, a private jet, cheerleaders and an epic corporate rap video
www.ft.com/content/f0ae...
Featuring prominent Mormon sports stars, a private jet, cheerleaders and an epic corporate rap video
www.ft.com/content/f0ae...
Late entry for one of the best long reads of the year
New FT Magazine cover story out today - How a failed baseball player and ex-Merrill Lynch broker became an international arms dealer.
December 21, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Late entry for one of the best long reads of the year
Reposted by Robert Smith
All the photography in this week's Economist Britain section is by Martin Parr
December 12, 2025 at 2:42 PM
All the photography in this week's Economist Britain section is by Martin Parr
Lovely piece on Carlo Rambaldi, one of the top practitioners of the lost art of practical special effects, along with the great Stan Winston as.ft.com/r/e53c40dc-b...
Sick of CGI? The puppet maestro of ET and Alien knew the secret to true movie magic
[FREE TO READ] Three-time Oscar-winning artist Carlo Rambaldi’s beloved and nightmarish animatronics receive a centennial tribute at MoMA
as.ft.com
December 12, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Lovely piece on Carlo Rambaldi, one of the top practitioners of the lost art of practical special effects, along with the great Stan Winston as.ft.com/r/e53c40dc-b...
Early Christmas 🎁 from @samgadjones.bsky.social and Paul Murphy: the full inside story behind Jan Marsalek's Libyan business inteterest and the bitter disputes they spawned
as.ft.com/r/2a7015cd-6...
as.ft.com/r/2a7015cd-6...
Marsalek’s missing millions: the unravelling of a secret Libyan empire
[FREE TO READ] FT investigation sheds light on Wirecard fraudster’s activities in north Africa and shadow life as a Russian agent of influence
as.ft.com
December 12, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Early Christmas 🎁 from @samgadjones.bsky.social and Paul Murphy: the full inside story behind Jan Marsalek's Libyan business inteterest and the bitter disputes they spawned
as.ft.com/r/2a7015cd-6...
as.ft.com/r/2a7015cd-6...
Hedge funds considering providing yet another DIP loan to First Brands Group
December 10, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Hedge funds considering providing yet another DIP loan to First Brands Group
Reposted by Robert Smith
No photoshopping today as I’ve been temporarily blinded by this chap’s teeth
December 10, 2025 at 10:35 AM
No photoshopping today as I’ve been temporarily blinded by this chap’s teeth
The real purpose of Robert Tchenguiz's Truss-fronted members club: repaying debts to the Reubens brothers.
An early Christmas present for FT readers here (gift link, first 300 clicks free! 🎁): as.ft.com/r/14553746-2...
An early Christmas present for FT readers here (gift link, first 300 clicks free! 🎁): as.ft.com/r/14553746-2...
Robert Tchenguiz hopes Liz Truss-fronted club will help pay off debt to Reubens
[FREE TO READ] Companies linked to financier owe property moguls £130mn for mortgage on Leconfield House
as.ft.com
December 10, 2025 at 10:31 AM
The real purpose of Robert Tchenguiz's Truss-fronted members club: repaying debts to the Reubens brothers.
An early Christmas present for FT readers here (gift link, first 300 clicks free! 🎁): as.ft.com/r/14553746-2...
An early Christmas present for FT readers here (gift link, first 300 clicks free! 🎁): as.ft.com/r/14553746-2...
Reposted by Robert Smith
In a tough year, private credit bosses are pointing fingers on.ft.com/4pX1Wc0 | opinion
In a tough year, private credit bosses are pointing fingers
Firms like Apollo find it hard to shake narratives formed by legacy private equity and distressed debt operations
on.ft.com
December 9, 2025 at 2:20 PM
In a tough year, private credit bosses are pointing fingers on.ft.com/4pX1Wc0 | opinion
December 9, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Unintentionally comic piece from Citywire on Sanjeev Gupta and SFOs (Single Family Offices) that never mentions the SFO (Serious Fraud Office) citywire.com/middle-east/...
citywire.com
December 9, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Unintentionally comic piece from Citywire on Sanjeev Gupta and SFOs (Single Family Offices) that never mentions the SFO (Serious Fraud Office) citywire.com/middle-east/...
Is this the first time the phrase "fuck face" has appeared in an FT news article?
www.ft.com/content/555d...
www.ft.com/content/555d...
Hedge fund ordered to pay bonus of trader who made 97% of its revenues
Evolution Capital Management must pay Robert Gagliardi $5.4mn plus interest after High Court judgment
www.ft.com
December 8, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Is this the first time the phrase "fuck face" has appeared in an FT news article?
www.ft.com/content/555d...
www.ft.com/content/555d...
Some of the best content on the FT.com is not being produced by FT journalists, but by below-the-line commenter Winter Cruise Allowance.
Here's their take on the new taxes on cash held in stocks-and-shares ISAs:
Here's their take on the new taxes on cash held in stocks-and-shares ISAs:
December 8, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Some of the best content on the FT.com is not being produced by FT journalists, but by below-the-line commenter Winter Cruise Allowance.
Here's their take on the new taxes on cash held in stocks-and-shares ISAs:
Here's their take on the new taxes on cash held in stocks-and-shares ISAs:
Reposted by Robert Smith
🔴 Nigel Farage’s Reform is more reliant on super-rich backers than any major party in modern British political history
75% of *all* Reform donations *ever* have come from just three rich men
Is this what democracy looks like?
New on Democracy for Sale
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/75-of-refo...
75% of *all* Reform donations *ever* have come from just three rich men
Is this what democracy looks like?
New on Democracy for Sale
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/75-of-refo...
75% of Reform UK’s donations have come from just three rich men
Calls grow for donation caps as Democracy for Sale research reveals that three-quarters of Reform’s funding comes from a trio of wealthy donors
democracyforsale.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:55 AM
🔴 Nigel Farage’s Reform is more reliant on super-rich backers than any major party in modern British political history
75% of *all* Reform donations *ever* have come from just three rich men
Is this what democracy looks like?
New on Democracy for Sale
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/75-of-refo...
75% of *all* Reform donations *ever* have come from just three rich men
Is this what democracy looks like?
New on Democracy for Sale
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/75-of-refo...
Reposted by Robert Smith
SCOOP: Bond investors warned US Treasury over picking Kevin Hassett as Fed chair www.ft.com/content/ad4b...
Bond investors warned US Treasury over picking Kevin Hassett as Fed chair
Some market participants worried candidate for top central bank job will be swayed by Trump on interest rates
www.ft.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:27 PM
SCOOP: Bond investors warned US Treasury over picking Kevin Hassett as Fed chair www.ft.com/content/ad4b...
Reposted by Robert Smith
David Miles (of the OBR) at the Treasury Select Committee: Reeves’ speech was not inconsistent with the OBR’s assessment.
December 2, 2025 at 10:20 AM
David Miles (of the OBR) at the Treasury Select Committee: Reeves’ speech was not inconsistent with the OBR’s assessment.
More good reporting on the precarious state of Thames Water's Coppermills site from The Waltham Forest Echo
walthamforestecho.co.uk/2025/11/28/a...
walthamforestecho.co.uk/2025/11/28/a...
Alarm at state of 'crumbling' Thames Water site in Walthamstow
Thames Water first admitted fears of “serious” risks to water supply at Coppermills in 2019 but renovation work will only finish in 2032, prompting concern that the ageing site could fail before then
walthamforestecho.co.uk
December 1, 2025 at 9:24 PM
More good reporting on the precarious state of Thames Water's Coppermills site from The Waltham Forest Echo
walthamforestecho.co.uk/2025/11/28/a...
walthamforestecho.co.uk/2025/11/28/a...
Lovely piece
‘There was rage and pain and iron in him’: Patrick Marber on the great hits – and fond smokes – he had with Tom Stoppard
‘There was rage and pain and iron in him’: Patrick Marber on the great hits – and fond smokes – he had with Tom Stoppard
The director worked with theatre colossus Tom Stoppard on two smash hits. Here, he remembers their heated rehearsals, the night they stayed up watching Jaws – and the last four cigarettes they smoked together
www.theguardian.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Lovely piece
Reposted by Robert Smith
Absolute debasement of academic standards
*student submits opinion in psych class
*gets bad grade
*instructor says she can make whatever arguments she wants but must draw on empirical sources
*student & Turning Point says her religious freedom & first amendment rights violated
*professor suspended
*student submits opinion in psych class
*gets bad grade
*instructor says she can make whatever arguments she wants but must draw on empirical sources
*student & Turning Point says her religious freedom & first amendment rights violated
*professor suspended
OU has put the professor here on administrative leave:
November 30, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Absolute debasement of academic standards
*student submits opinion in psych class
*gets bad grade
*instructor says she can make whatever arguments she wants but must draw on empirical sources
*student & Turning Point says her religious freedom & first amendment rights violated
*professor suspended
*student submits opinion in psych class
*gets bad grade
*instructor says she can make whatever arguments she wants but must draw on empirical sources
*student & Turning Point says her religious freedom & first amendment rights violated
*professor suspended
'I never thought Drahi would take MY collateral,' sobs bondholder who invested in the Drahi Taking People's Collateral Company.
www.ft.com/content/33fb...
www.ft.com/content/33fb...
Altice International bonds sink as Patrick Drahi moves assets out of creditors’ reach
Investors in debt of billionaire’s group say move is ‘super aggressive’
www.ft.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:44 AM
'I never thought Drahi would take MY collateral,' sobs bondholder who invested in the Drahi Taking People's Collateral Company.
www.ft.com/content/33fb...
www.ft.com/content/33fb...
this is a chilling read on influencers pushing an extreme version of homebirthing with disastrous consequences www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
A year-long investigation reveals how mothers lost children after being radicalised by uplifting podcast tales of births without midwives or doctors
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:55 PM
this is a chilling read on influencers pushing an extreme version of homebirthing with disastrous consequences www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...
this is a good look at the off-balance sheet accounting underpinning Meta's big data centre deal www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
AI Meets Aggressive Accounting at Meta’s Gigantic New Data Center
Favorable treatment off the balance sheet hinges on some convenient assumptions.
www.wsj.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:53 PM
this is a good look at the off-balance sheet accounting underpinning Meta's big data centre deal www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
Reposted by Robert Smith
I used to live near the Coppermills water treatment plant that is apparently central to London's water supplies and frankly it is terrifying that an obviously ageing facility run by a failing company with poor access is so crucial www.ft.com/content/97e4...
Single fault at Thames Water works could imperil London’s supply
Coppermills plant, which serves up to 4mn people, underscores scale of the challenge for troubled utility
www.ft.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:50 PM
I used to live near the Coppermills water treatment plant that is apparently central to London's water supplies and frankly it is terrifying that an obviously ageing facility run by a failing company with poor access is so crucial www.ft.com/content/97e4...
Reposted by Robert Smith
Kroll Bond Rating Agency is offering assistance to investors in dealing with the three main scourges of the private credit market: defaults, cockroaches and the Financial Times.
www.ft.com/content/ebd2...
www.ft.com/content/ebd2...
Private credit rating agency fights back against one of the market’s greatest threats: the FT
KBRA excludes media from event ‘debunking some of the recent misleading media headlines focusing on private credit’
www.ft.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Kroll Bond Rating Agency is offering assistance to investors in dealing with the three main scourges of the private credit market: defaults, cockroaches and the Financial Times.
www.ft.com/content/ebd2...
www.ft.com/content/ebd2...