April 30, 2026

When a credit professional retires or leaves a company, the organization is not just losing a valuable team member—it is often losing unparalleled knowledge and expertise. Transferring what took years to learn requires time, patience and a willingness to share and receive.

International trade credit has come a long way from the merchant caravans and handwritten letters of early commerce. Rather than traveling extensively or waiting weeks for a response from global counterparts, today’s credit professionals are scheduling Zoom calls, sending emails and closing deals in minutes without ever leaving their office. 

When a customer is too indebted to reorganize and rebuild, they may execute a general assignment for the benefit of creditors (ABC), a mechanism where the customer (the “assignor”) assigns its assets to an assignee, typically for the purpose of liquidating the assignor’s business. This method of liquidating (whether through a wind-down process or, in certain instances, a going-concern sale) avoids the potential unpredictability and cost associated with a bankruptcy filing.