Fernando Pedrero serves as an assistant vice president at CFG Merchant Solutions, where he leads the Underwriter Academy, a specialized program that bridges the gap between traditional finance education and the nuanced world of revenue-based financing. With a keen eye for talent development, Pedrero identified a critical friction point in the industry: while many new entrants possess strong academic
foundations, they often lack the practical framework required to apply those principles to specialty assets. To solve this, he architected a repeatable, structured path that transforms candidates into skilled underwriters capable of managing their own revenue-based portfolios, balancing growth-oriented thinking with strict credit discipline.
The centerpiece of Pedrero’s recent work is the phased curriculum he developed for the Academy. The program moves participants through a rigorous “Bootcamp” on deal anatomy, followed by an intensive apprenticeship and mentorship phase. This structure allows new underwriters to gain exposure to real-world deal evaluation, pricing and risk management without disrupting live operations. By the final phase, participants are equipped to execute independently, ensuring CFGMS maintains a scalable talent pipeline that can drive results responsibly in a fast-moving market.
Pedrero’s strategic differentiator is his commitment to fostering an entrepreneurial spirit through a structured feedback loop. He treats every portfolio and deal as a learning opportunity, ensuring that lessons learned by one team member are shared across the entire organization to inspire broader innovation. By rewarding thoughtful problem-solving and encouraging his team to question legacy processes, he has created an environment where creativity is harnessed to find smarter, more efficient solutions. Through the Underwriter Academy, Pedrero is not just training individuals; he is building a sustainable system of excellence that ensures the next generation of specialty finance professionals is prepared for the challenges of an evolving credit landscape.
