The Treasury Career Corner

On this episode of the Treasury Career Corner podcast, I’m joined by Mark Fortkamp, the Treasurer at Performance Health.After a stint in banking following college graduation, Mark began his treasury career in 2006 with Accenture (Chicago). At Accenture, he learned the fundamentals of international cash management for a multinational professional services company. Over several years with the firm, Mark worked in different treasury groups, broadening his experience to foreign exchange management and increasing his responsibility on the team. He was ultimately promoted to Manager and led a team of Treasury Analysts managing liquidity in 15 countries in North and South America and Asia-Pacific.In 2013, Mark left Accenture for the Treasury department at Citadel, a hedge fund headquartered in Chicago. His work on the Cash and Collateral Management team within the technology-focused organization gave Mark new insight into treasury operations in the financial services industry. Mark joined Univar, a global chemical distributor, as Treasury Manager in 2014. His role at Univar marked a return to the corporate treasury arena, focusing on oversight of foreign exchange and intercompany transactions.In late 2015, Mark was offered the opportunity to join the team at Patterson Medical, a global manufacturer/distributor of rehabilitation and sports medicine products. The company had recently been spun off and acquired by a leading Chicago private equity firm, and Mark was tasked with developing treasury and other internal finance functions previously managed by the former parent company. In 2016, the company acquired another leading health and wellness manufacturer and united the two companies under the Performance Health name. In addition to his responsibilities as Treasurer, Mark oversees Performance Health’s Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable departments, managing teams based in Illinois and Ohio. On the podcast we discussed…How Mark got started in finance and discovered the world of treasuryHow Mark became the manager of Treasury operationsMark talks about his experience as a manager of a Treasury teamWhat it was like moving from financial services to corporate treasuryHow to start a new treasury department for a start-upWhy Mark loves his role in Treasury and why it’s such an interesting space in financeHow treasury has changed over the last 20 yearsMistakes to avoid in your Treasury careerMark shares tips and advice for junior TreasurersYou can get in touch with Mark by connecting with him on LinkedIn. Are your treasury wages in line with our Global Treasury Salary Survey? Find out here.Are you interested in pursuing a career within Treasury? Whether you’ve recently graduated, or you want to search for new job opportunities to help develop your treasury career, The Treasury Recruitment Company can help you in your search for the perfect job. Find out more here. Or, send us your CV and let us help you in your next career move!If you’re enjoying the show please rate and review us on whatever podcast app you listen to us on, for Apple Podcasts click here! 

In this episode of the podcast, Mike and the team explore the current state of the Treasury Recruitment Market as a whole, some of the key challenges of late and what we can hope to expect going forward.On the podcast we discussed…Why today's episode came about due to the challenge of getting enough CFO’s to approve our podcasts episodes.How we would like to thank all of our listeners and invite those of you that have great career stories to be guests on the show by emailing Mike@TreasuryRecruitment.comThe Treasury Recruitment Company team members introduce themselves to all of our listeners What's the current state of the Treasury Recruitment Market across all relevant regions, i.e the UK, Europe, the US and the Middle East at all levels from Junior to the Senior end of the market?What effect has COVID had on the Treasury Recruitment Market, when do we expect it to recover and in which regions firstHow has the pandemic affected salaries and rewards as well as other benefitsWe explain how bonuses have been destroyed as a result of the lock-down but the “bonus” of this is that there will be a steady flow of opportunities in the market rather than the stop and start nature of treasury recruitment when it is affected by candidates having to wait for bonus pay outs.The team summarise what you need to be focusing on as the market returns. Is it;polishing up your CVrefreshing your LinkedIn profile orhaving a solid recruitment plan for your treasury careerYou might have guessed the answer is all three!Are you interested in pursuing a career within Treasury?Whether you’ve recently graduated, or you want to search for new job opportunities to help develop your treasury career, The Treasury Recruitment Company can help you in your search for the perfect job. Find out more here. Or, send us your CV and let us help you in your next career move!If you’re enjoying the show please rate and review us on whatever podcast app you listen to us on, for Apple Podcasts click here!

Doug Knebel, the Director of Treasury Operations at AVX Corporation, joins me on this episode of the Treasury Career Corner podcast. AVX Corporation is an American manufacturer of electronic components headquartered in Fountain Inn, South Carolina.As a leading international manufacturer and supplier of a broad range of innovative sensor, control, and interconnect solutions, AVX serves a massive range of industries including automotive, industrial, medical, military, consumer electronics, communications, and transportation markets and has done for nearly 50 years.As the Director of Treasury Operations, Doug’s main responsibilities include leading the Treasury function from the Corporate Headquarters, managing cash and investments for the entire global operation, ensuring liquidity for all legal entities in 21 countries, overseeing foreign currency hedge program for all sites, and so much more.Prior to joining AVX, Doug worked for companies in a variety of industries such as telecom, wholesale/distribution, and chemical manufacturing. He has over 18 years of experience in Finance/Accounting, the last 12 of which have been spent in Treasury.On the podcast we discussed…Why Doug decided to pursue treasuryThe value of finding a great trainer or mentorWhy it’s so important to be consistent and work hardAdvantages of working for a smaller businessHow Doug progressed through his careerWhy it’s important to build relationships with bankersWhy you need to immerse yourself within the company as a treasurerWhy you should try to learn from other people’s mistakes as well as your ownIf you’d like to get in touch with Doug, you can connect with him on LinkedIn.Are you interested in pursuing a career within Treasury?Whether you’ve recently graduated, or you want to search for new job opportunities to help develop your treasury career, The Treasury Recruitment Company can help you in your search for the perfect job. Find out more here. Or, send us your CV and let us help you in your next career move!If you’re enjoying the show please rate and review us on whatever podcast app you listen to us on, for Apple Podcasts click here! 

Jim McHale, who was most recently the Vice President, Corporate Treasurer of Graebel Companies, Inc., joins me on this episode of the Treasury Career Corner podcast, where we talk about how he built his career and where he sees himself going next.Graebel Companies, Inc., is a global workforce and workplace mobility and relocation management company headquartered in Aurora, CO. Graebel helps Fortune 500s, Global 100s, and other organizations with absolutely everything involved in relocating their people - from rethinking company policies to getting the VP’s cat through customs.Jim was responsible for all global treasury operations, cash & liquidity management and forecasting, global credit & collections, home equity operations, and ABL and home equity financing structures. Jim was previously with KPMG, Solo Cup Company, Hollister Incorporated, UOP LLC (a Honeywell company), and Fenwal, Inc. Jim has a BS-Accounting degree from Louisiana Tech University, and an MBA, International Specialization, from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. Jim began his career in accounting, but has been in global treasury since 1997, focused on all components of the global cash flow cycle.On the podcast we discussed…How Jim went from accounting to treasuryJim talks about his experience with foreign exchange hedging and interest rate hedgingWhy the diverse culture in treasury drew Jim to the roleThe difference between public and private equityThe checklist for building a global treasury organisation from scratchThe importance of having a risk management mindsetHow to manage a group of treasury professionals from around the worldHow to build an effective treasury teamWhat Jim enjoys the most about our ‘Bounce Back’ programmeJim shares his best advice for other treasurersIf you’d like to get in touch with Joe, you can connect with him on LinkedIn.Are you interested in pursuing a career within Treasury?Whether you’ve recently graduated, or you want to search for new job opportunities to help develop your treasury career, The Treasury Recruitment Company can help you in your search for the perfect job. Find out more here. Or, send us your CV and let us help you in your next career move!If you’re enjoying the show please rate and review us on whatever podcast app you listen to us on, for Apple Podcasts click here!

Most guests on the Treasury Career Corner podcast are involved in multinational corporations, but this week I interview Martin Watts, Director of Treasury at social housing provider London and Quadrant (L&Q).Treasury operates differently in every business, but with no private shareholders and all profits being reinvested into the community they serve, L&Q is an entirely different operation to the usual businesses profiled on the podcast.This was a fascinating look at a unique business model that should be of interest to many treasury professionals.On the podcast we discussed…What Martin’s journey into treasury looked like and the many twists and turns its taken sinceWhat social housing is and how a social housing provider operatesWhy there is more in common between social and FTSE100 businesses than one might thinkThe evolution of treasury in social housing provisionWhere awards have value (and where they’re pointless)Are you interested in pursuing a career within Treasury? Whether you’ve recently graduated, or you want to search for new job opportunities to help develop your treasury career, The Treasury Recruitment Company can help you in your search for the perfect job. Find out more here. Or, send us your CV and let us help you in your next career move!If you’re enjoying the show please rate and review us on whatever podcast app you listen to us on, for Apple Podcasts click here! 

Businesses across the world need skilled treasury professionals, which means, if you are so inclined, you can potentially travel the world with a career in treasury.Brendan Boucher, Group Treasurer of Compass Group Plc, can certainly confirm that. Brendan’s career has taken him across the world, from Moscow to Vienna to Dubai, in roles with FTSE100 mainstays to startups fresh out the gate.Brendan has held his role at Compass Group Plc since January 2018. Prior to this, he was Group Treasurer at AstraZeneca, Petrofac Limited (based in Dubai) and OMV AG (based in Vienna). Brendan is a chartered accountant and Fellow of the Association of Corporate Treasurers.Such a varied CV has given Brendan plenty of insights and experiences to inform his work with hospitality giant Compass Group Plc, and he joined me in this episode to discuss his international career, the Covid-19 pandemic and its effect on Compass Group Plc, and lots more.On the podcast we discussed…How Brendan got started in treasury and the deciding factor in his move away from GSKWhat it’s like to go from working for a large corporate to a startupHow Brendan handled international relocations and how they benefited his careerWhat Brendan and his team at Compass Group Plc have done to mitigate the effects of Covid-19How Brendan manages the introduction of new technology to a decentralised businessIf you would like to connect with Brendan, you can find him here on LinkedIn.Are you interested in pursuing a career within Treasury?Whether you’ve recently graduated, or you want to search for new job opportunities to help develop your treasury career, The Treasury Recruitment Company can help you in your search for the perfect job. Find out more here. Or, send us your CV and let us help you in your next career move!If you’re enjoying the show please rate and review us on whatever podcast app you listen to us on, for Apple Podcasts click here!

We’re switching things up for this episode of the Treasury Career Corner podcast as Mike, our host and Chief Executive at The Treasury Recruitment Company, sits on the opposite side of the mic for his interview with Craig Jeffery of the Strategic Treasurer on his show, The Treasury Update Podcast.The Treasury Update Podcast is a top source for treasury insights and news. So, when Craig reached out to Mike and invited him to appear as a guest on the show, he was more than happy to oblige.On this special episode of the Treasury Career Corner, Mike shares his expertise and insights on the current treasury career market including the rebound from the depths of the Covid-19 economic impact, team management, and so much more. If you’re curious about treasury careers or you want to build your career and catch up on what’s going on within the treasury industry lately, you’re going to get a lot from this episode.On the podcast we discussed…What’s going on treasury career-wise following the economic impact of COVID-19The pros and cons of treasury teams working from homeHow treasurers are coping with zoom calls (are introverts handling this new ‘normal’ way of communication as well as extroverts?)How treasury recruitment opportunities differ across different geographical locationsHow the dimensions of work have changed systemically in the working from home environmentWhat the ‘Salary Survey’ results reveal about shifts in acceleration and deceleration, ongoing trends, and so onWhat makes treasurers happy in their roles and what makes them want to move onYou can find out more about Strategic Treasurer here: strategictreasurer.com/podcast/Are you interested in pursuing a career within Treasury?Whether you’ve recently graduated, or you want to search for new job opportunities to help develop your treasury career, The Treasury Recruitment Company can help you in your search for the perfect job. Find out more here. Or, send us your CV and let us help you in your next career move!If you’re enjoying the show please rate and review us on whatever podcast app you listen to us on, for Apple Podcasts click here!

The Treasury Career Corner podcast is all about sharing information to support treasury professionals and their careers. In this episode, I talk to Michael Bradley, the former Executive Director and Assistant Treasurer of FX & Investments at Bristol-Myers Squibb/Celgene Corporation, about how he built his career and what advice he has for anyone who aspires to achieve the same level of career success. FX & Investments at Celgene Corporation was a global biotechnology company specializing in the development and commercialization of treatments for hematology-oncology, inflammation and immunology. For six years, Michael was responsible for developing and managing Celgene’s global FX hedging and investment programs.Celgene was acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb in November 2019, and Michael remained on to transition responsibilities to the Bristol Treasury team until April 2020. Prior to joining Celgene, Michael worked for 15 years at Merck & Co., Inc. in a variety of treasury, tax, and financial evaluation functions including six years as the Director of FX Risk Management.Michael holds an MBA in Management from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, a BBA in Accounting from The College of William & Mary, and a CPA license in the state of Virginia.On the podcast we discussed…How Michael went from an accounting to a treasury careerWhy you should think about risk and how it affects a companyMichael’s ethos around FXHow the treasury team was structuredWhy qualifications are helpful but not necessarily essentialThe expected role of automation and artificial intelligence on the future of treasuryHow Michael sees treasury evolvingMichael shares his top tips for other treasurers If you’d like to get in touch with Michael, you can connect with him on LinkedIn.Read the article by Judy C. Lewent, Identifying, Measuring, and Hedging Currency Risk at MerckAre you interested in pursuing a career within treasury?Whether you’ve recently graduated, or you want to search for new job opportunities to help develop your treasury career, The Treasury Recruitment Company can help you in your search for the perfect job. Find out more here or send us your CV and let us help you with your next career move!If you’re enjoying the show please rate and review us on whatever podcast app you listen to us on, for Apple Podcasts click here!

If you want to build a successful treasury career, it’s good to learn from other treasurers, hear their stories, and listen to their advice. I invited John Fulton to join me on this episode of the Treasury Career Corner podcast. John was previously the Interim Group Treasurer at Kantar and is now involved in consulting projects in the CFO and Treasury space.John has 20 years of senior leadership global finance roles in public and private companies across developed and emerging markets. He is a dynamic and creative thinker and leader with an enviable corporate treasury track record of deal execution. He worked as the Interim Group Treasurer at Kantar, which was founded in 1992 and is the world’s leading data, insights and consulting company with its global headquarters based in London. Kantar helps clients understand people and inspire growth. As a data and evidence-based agency, they provide insights and actionable recommendations to clients, worldwide.They have a complete, unique, and rounded understanding of people around the world: how they think, feel, and act, globally and locally in over 90 markets. Kantar doesn’t just help clients understand what’s happened, they tell them why and how they can shape the future. With a diverse client base, Kantar inspires, informs and works with them to create strategies whatever their objectives – improving brand awareness, attracting more consumers, increasing brand penetration, financial success or growing peoples’ confidence in public services.After leaving Kantar at the end of 2019, John has moved into private consultation.On the podcast we discussed…How John got into the finance industryJohn talks about his experiences working in public and private markets based in the UK, US, Mexico, NZ, Turkey, and many moreHow to leverage different skills and experiences as a treasurerWhat treasurers can learn from the COVID-19 crisisA look at John’s recruitment process and what he looks for in candidatesHow technology will impact treasuryJohn shares career advice for young treasurersIf you want to get in touch with John, you can connect with him on LinkedIn.Are you interested in pursuing a career within Treasury?Whether you’ve recently graduated, or you want to search for new job opportunities to help develop your treasury career, The Treasury Recruitment Company can help you in your search for the perfect job. Find out more here. Or, send us your CV and let us help you in your next career move!If you’re enjoying the show please rate and review us on whatever podcast app you listen to us on, for Apple Podcasts click here!

My special guest on this episode of the Treasury Career Corner podcast is Gary Slawther, Interim Group Treasurer at Eddie Stobart Logistics Limited.Gary is a highly experienced, technically strong, strategic treasurer with proven expertise in developing financing strategies, structures, and effective management in all areas of financial risk. Working as a member of senior management teams, Gary often reports directly to the CFO or CEO and prioritises knowing the detail of the business and operations.Having this level of understanding of the business enables him to accurately assess the real financial risks, the financing requirements, and how strategy is to be executed. Gathering such knowledge requires communication with fellow team members and being close to the operations.Gary has had an incredible career journey and worked with a variety of organisations including OCTAL, Arabtec, and many more. He is currently the Interim Group Treasurer for Eddie Stobart Logistics Limited, where he assists in delivering DBay's post-investment recovery plan for the business focusing, among several things, on bank relationships, facility compliance, information provision and driving the working capital culture of the group.On the podcast we discussed…How Gary got started in treasury and how he built his successful careerWhy you need to think of treasury in the context of businessWhy you shouldn’t be afraid to ask questionsWhy Gary changed roles throughout his careerThe truth about why treasurers are hired and how to know whether you’re bringing value to a companyWhy you should try to learn as much as possible with every roleThe importance of being independent as a treasurer and understanding ethicsWhy you should lean on your advisors when you need themThe role of ethics within treasuryWhy you need to be culturally aware as a treasurer and/or group treasurerGary shares his top tips for a successful careerWant to get in touch with Gary? If so, you can connect with him on LinkedIn.Are you interested in pursuing a career within Treasury?Whether you’ve recently graduated, or you want to search for new job opportunities to help develop your treasury career, The Treasury Recruitment Company can help you in your search for the perfect job. Find out more here. Or, send us your CV and let us help you in your next career move!If you’re enjoying the show please rate and review us on whatever podcast app you listen to us on, for Apple Podcasts click here!