Editor's letter

As we embark on a new year we delve into six features that highlight the transformations taking place as the alternative finance community undergoes significant challenges.  

Our cover story, on supply chain finance, considers the the Red Sea conflict, where Houthi militants have targetted container ships, prompting joint air strikes by the US and the UK. The aftermath has seen a substantial impact on the shipping industry, diverting 25% of the world's shipping capacity and resulting in surging shipping rates. In our second feature, by Finativ’s Peter Hunt, industry experts weigh in on the future of SME lending and the financing landscape in 2024. Our third article focuses on the car leasing market in Sweden, grappling with a 20% decline in private car rentals and a surge in advertisements for car leasing transfers. Fourthly, we look at the evolving landscape of AI adoption, which has seen financial businesses worldwide experience a 46% widespread adoption rate in 2022. Our fifth feature is a Q&A with Alberto Carrillo Pineda of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and our last feature considers financial services in the UK four years since Brexit. 

Best regards,

Alejandro Gonzalez, editor