Global Credit Trends in An Evolving Geoeconomic Landscape

Time: 13:00-15:00 (UK Time), Wednesday, 28 October 2026
Presenter: Marie Diron, Moody’s Ratings
Chair: Professor Hong Bo, SOAS University of London
Online venue: Click here to join the seminar on Teams (For any inquiry about how to join the online seminar, please contact Dr. Meng Xie at xm1@soas.ac.uk)

Abstract
This seminar explores global sovereign credit trends in an evolving geoeconomic landscape, with a focus on Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Sub-Saharan Africa. It examines disruptions and fractures manifest across global credit drivers and how sovereign rating trends have been positive across advanced economies and emerging Markets. It also considers the global credit implications of conflict in the Middle East and the economic benefits of the AI value chain. Regional insights highlight mixed credit trends across Asia-Pacific and Sub-Saharan Africa’s growing capacity to absorb shocks.

Speaker

Marie Diron is global head of Moody’s Sovereign, Multinational and Sub-Sovereign Risk Group, with responsibility for credit ratings on countries, regional and local governments, multilateral development banks and other public sector entities. Marie is also Moody’s Ratings’ Executive Sponsor for AI. Marie has worked in various functions at Moody’s in the Sovereign Risk Group and (then) Credit Policy. In particular, she was lead sovereign analyst for a number of Asia Pacific credits including Australia, China, India and some frontier market sovereigns. She then managed the Asia Pacific sovereign team, before expanding her responsibilities to today’s global role. Previously, in Credit Policy, Marie co-ordinated Moody’s Global Macro Outlook and other credit research. Marie was previously Director at Oxford Economics, leading the company’s forecasting and scenario analysis service to financial sector and corporate clients, after a number of years at the European Central Bank and Brevan Howard LLP. Marie received a MPhil in Economics from the University of Cambridge and graduated from the Ecole Centrale Paris.