The Treasury Career Corner

We’ve got a very special guest on this episode of the Treasury Career Corner podcast, where I’m joined by the incredible Winny Li, the Group Treasurer at PPD.     Winny graduated from the University of Cambridge with an MPhil Distinction in Management Studies. She started her finance career with professional accountancy firms, including Arthur Andersen and Deloitte, where she completed her ACA training. This provided valuable experience, leading Winny to work for the Global Media Enterprise, Viacom, where she travelled extensively, accumulating further expertise whilst working in different business environments and cultural settings.     Almost fourteen years ago, Winny joined the fast-growing pharmaceuticals company PPD, where she contributed to the significant growth of the company. PPD is a leading global contract research organization providing comprehensive, integrated drug development, laboratory and lifecycle management services.     Winny took on further professional training with ACT and helped PPD set up its current Treasury function. PPD is now a leading global contract research organization providing comprehensive, integrated drug development, laboratory and life cycle management services. PPD has 21,500 employees and operates in 100 + countries.      In a recent interview, Winny was described as ‘[having] a willingness to up sticks and move to where the action is, plus a strong commitment to the treasury discipline. Winny Li's career has all the hallmarks of the exemplary 21st-century treasurer.’    On the podcast we discussed…    Winny’s remarkable career path from working for various accountancy firms to Viacom and finally, PPD  The benefits of working for a large accountancy firm in terms of exposure  Tips for treasures who have to travel a lot between different countries for work  How PPD’s decision to delist the company impacted the structure of the treasury department  Why you need to understand and embrace technology if you want to be an effective treasurer  Career advice for anyone who wants to replicate a similar career path as Winny    Would you like to get in touch with Winny? If so, you can connect with her via her LinkedIn profile.    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 iTunes click here! 

My guest on this episode of the Treasury Career Corner is Royston Da Costa, the Assistant Group Treasurer at Ferguson plc. Royston has a proven track record in Treasury Technology, foreign exchange, and cash management. There’s also a good chance you’ll find him gracing the stage as a regular presenter at international treasury conferences.    Royston has enjoyed a successful career with Ferguson plc and has been with the company for over 17 years. He began as a Group Assistant Treasurer and assumed responsibility for the Group’s Treasury Systems and Development in 2010. In 2016, he was promoted to Assistant Group Treasurer and took on new key responsibilities such as acting as the focal point of contact for all our internal subsidiaries in relation to payment connectivity, working capital, and transactional banking.    He is also the focal point for all of the company’s relationships with banks in relation to payment, regulatory, and technology related issues. He has celebrated many achievements over the years including the implementation of an EMIR for the group in 2014 and a new Cloud-based TMS in 2015.     On the podcast we discussed…    How Royston first got started in treasury   How data has helped improve cash flow forecasting in treasury  The role of technology in the treasury industry and how it has helped replace certain processes  A look inside the ACT training course including the “Capabilities of a World-Class Treasury Organization” (see document below)  The importance of having a treasury team with a diverse skill set  Career advice for aspiring treasurers including the ability to work with different cultures, not being afraid to ‘get your hands dirty,’ and trying new things    If you’d like to get in touch with Royston, you can connect with him via his LinkedIn profile.    To view the “Capabilities of a World-Class Treasury Organization” slide issued by the ACT at one of their training courses that Mike and Royston discuss in the podcast, click 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 iTunes click here!   

  In this episode of the Treasury Career Corner podcast I am delighted to be joined by Richard Garry, the Group Treasurer at Informa Group. We explore the various roles Richard has held and the importance of broadening your experience with each career decision. It was a valuable discussion, with some great advice that highlights the benefits of setting strategic goals and investing in your career.   Richard is currently responsible for the Group Treasury, Insurance Programme and Pension risks of Informa plc, managing a centralised department from the Corporate Head Office in London. Comprising of a team of 10 professionals, the Group Treasury function is responsible for the company’s debt, cash, foreign exchange and corporate finance requirements.   Prior to joining Informa, Richard worked for IMI plc, the UK listed global industrial engineer, in a similar role and through a period of transformational change for that business he managed a significant disposal and various acquisitions. Richard has also worked for HS1 Ltd, the owner of the high-speed rail infrastructure which runs from St Pancras Station in London to the start of the Channel Tunnel, where in 2011/12 he restructured the balance sheet using a Whole Business Securitised structure.   Richard spent the bulk of his career at Toyota Financial Services where he was responsible for the funding and risk management of its €10Bn Balance sheet across Europe & Africa. Whilst there he was also Chaired their Global Asset Liability Committee.  Richard has also had stints at Reuters and British Airways, where he started his career as a Graduate Trainee.    On the podcast we discussed:   How Richard started out in treasury and what interested him about a treasury role The various career changes Richard has made and the key decisions behind them Richard’s experience with interim roles The treasury set up at Informa and Richard’s reasons for moving there as a FTSE100 firm How to lead a treasury team to successfully grow an organisation Setting goals that align with your team and your organisation What interested Richard in becoming a Non-exec Committee Member at Sovereign Housing Advice for those looking to progress in treasury including four key points: learning your trade, working with smart people, being willing to grab opportunities and being true to yourself   If you’d like to get in touch with Richard, you can connect with him via his LinkedIn profile (https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-garry-3010951b/).   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: treasuryrecruitment.com/jobs. 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 iTunes click here!

I’m delighted to be joined by Dan Ferguson, the Group Treasurer at RSA Insurance Group plc on this episode of the Treasury Career Corner Podcast. I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Dan as we discussed how he built his career and where he sees the treasury profession going next. We also explore how Brexit might impact treasury and how he is planning to deal with it in his role as Group Treasurer at RSA.    Dan is an experienced Treasury professional with a hands-on approach and experience through the front, middle and back offices gained in a variety of regulated industries. He has experience of leading a range of change management projects, including the implementation of a global Treasury systems solution. He has also negotiated a wide range of banking services from lending, transactional banking, pooling & cash management, and integrated FX/payment platforms, to larger scale RFI’s/RFP’s for global solutions.     Dan joined RSA in 2002 after working in the Treasury teams at Thomas Cook, Bank of New York, and Ernst & Young. At RSA in his role as Group Treasurer, he is responsible for liquidity management, funding, and consideration of a number of our financial risks such as foreign exchange. He also manages banking relationships to try and get the best out of these providers in terms of support and services.     On the podcast we discussed…    Dan’s career path and how he transitioned from Treasury Analyst to Group Treasurer  Why you should consider doing exams such as the AMCT and MCT  Dan discusses the Global Treasury Management system they use at RSA  The biggest challenges treasurers face within the insurance business  How Brexit may impact the future of treasury  The importance of having good communication and negotiation skills as a treasurer    If you’d like to get in touch with Dan, you can connect with him via his LinkedIn profile.    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 iTunes click here! 

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work as the Head of Group Treasury for a company with €1 billion in turnover? Find out when you tune into this episode of the Treasury Career Corner Podcast, where I interview Topi Jokiranta, the Head of Group Treasury at Rettig Group Ltd.   Topi is currently the Head of Group Treasury for Rettig based in Finland, with overall responsibility for a multitude of things including treasury, overall FX and IR risk management, funding and financing of subsidiaries, repatriation and capital structure planning. But, his responsibilities don’t end there. Topi is also responsible for building the external funding strategy and execution for ongoing business as usual as well as M&A events and the development of treasury policies, treasury reporting, processes, and governance.   He’s a man who wears many hats and has experience working in London, Amsterdam, and Singapore. He holds a host of qualifications including a BBA Hons and HEAO Degree from Mercuria Business School (Vantaa, Finland) & Hogeschool Holland, majoring in Corporate Finance, an MBA in Finance from Aalto University in Finland and an Association of Corporate Treasurers (AMCT) qualification.   On the podcast we discussed…   How Topi got into treasury and an interesting overview of his career How technology can assist and support the future development of treasury Why you should take the AMCT if you want to pursue a successful treasury career Advantages and disadvantages of working in PLC’s, Public and Private companies The important role of ownership in a small treasury team or department Why you should always seek to do something new and not repeat the same job with each career move   If you’d like to get in touch with Topi, you can connect and/or reach out to him via 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: treasuryrecruitment.com/jobs. 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 iTunes click here!

I’ve got a very special guest on this episode of the Treasury Career Corner podcast and that’s none other than Rónán Clifford, the Treasury Director at EMEA Corporate Treasury, Honeywell.    Rónán has been part of the Honeywell treasury team based in Belgium since 2015. His core responsibilities include bank relationship management, liquidity and banking infrastructure, FX risk, trade finance, M&A due diligence and integration and colleague development. He was EMEA treasury lead in delivering the carve out of 2 companies from the Honeywell portfolio, as part of $20bn USD of divestitures in 2018.     Prior to joining Honeywell, he worked at Pfizer. One of his key achievements was establishing the treasury centre for Zoetis (Pfizer’s Animal health IPO from 2013), where he headed up the Front Office. He holds a BA in Political Science & Mathematics from University College Dublin, an MSc in Financial & Industrial Mathematics from Dublin City University as well as postgraduate qualification in Corporate Treasury from the Irish Association of Corporate Treasury / Dublin City University.     He has a passion for continuous improvement and is a qualified 6 Sigma Green Belt. He has also won several treasury awards including from TMI and Adam Smith. To keep sane, he is a keen sport enthusiast and has completed several marathons, triathlons as well as White Collar Boxing events.     On the podcast we discussed…    A closer look at Rónán’s award-winning treasury career   What is Six Sigma and why it’s relevant to treasurers  The difference between working in financial services and corporate treasury  How technology can be leveraged to help benefit treasury  Why you need to be courageous as a treasury professional  Rónán shares his key to success and offers career advice for fellow treasurers    You can get in touch with Rónán by connecting with him via 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 iTunes click here! 

On this episode of the Treasury Career Corner Podcast, I’m delighted to be joined by Paul Harrison, the Head of Treasury Advisory at Grant Thornton LLP. As with each guest that comes on the show, Paul shares his career advice for anyone looking to follow a similar career path. We also dive into what life is like as a Treasury Consultant and Paul sets the record straight when it comes to common perceptions and myths surrounding a consultant role.    Paul leads Grant Thornton’s Treasury Advisory business (GTTA) and assists clients in establishing a new treasury function from scratch or in make an existing one ‘fit for purpose’ following organic or M&A driven change.     With more than 25 years of treasury experience in a corporate and advisory capacity, Paul’s focus is liquidity management, operational banking, FX risk management, debt compliance and treasury management systems, together with all the processes and policy changes required in each of these areas. Prior to joining Grant Thornton, he worked at PMC Treasury, PwC and Diageo.     Outside work, Paul is a family man with two daughters. When he isn’t working or spending time with his wife and kids, he enjoys playing tennis and is a keen cook.    On the podcast we discussed…    How Paul built his treasury consulting career Balancing the travel aspect of working as a consultant with family life Common myths of what a consultant role entails and the ‘selling’ aspect of the job How to achieve job satisfaction as a treasury consultant The challenges and common struggles of consulting Paul shares his work ethos and career advice for aspiring treasury consultants   Would you like to get in touch with Paul? If so, you can connect with him via LinkedIn or send him an email at paul.a.harrison@uk.gt.com     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 iTunes click here!

In this special mini-feature episode of The Treasury Career Corner podcast, I share lots of exciting news with you about our future plans for the show.    Since launching the podcast in October 2018, we’ve had almost 5,000 downloads! So, I want to thank you for downloading the show, and I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about the treasury profession from all of our wonderful guests.    With the podcast doing so well, we’re striving to make it bigger and better. To start, we’re launching The Treasury Career Corner LIVE, where we’ll be hitting the stage and interviewing treasurers about their careers in front of a live audience. But, that’s not all! We’re taking the show on the road and visiting cities including London, Luxembourg, Chicago, New York, Copenhagen and Boston.    So, if you want to find out more about our exciting plans in the pipeline for 2019 and discover if we’re bringing the show to a city near you, tune into this special feature episode for the breakdown!   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 iTunes click here! 

The Treasury Career Corner is brought to you by The Treasury Recruitment Company, the only global specialist Treasury recruitment company in the world. In this episode of the podcast, you’ll hear from Michel Bekkers, the former Group Treasurer for Adidas.    Michel is currently the Principal and Co-Founder at RSquare Consulting, where he offers financial consulting for organisations looking for advice and support for strategic decision making and risk management. Michel is an experienced finance professional with a demonstrated history of delivering results through financial innovations.     After having worked for large multi-national companies for three decades, his new focus has been on working with/for smaller to midsized companies with strong growth potential.    When you listen in, you’ll hear about why Michel believes cash is a fact and profit is an interpretation. We also get into what it takes to have a successful treasury career and why you have to define for yourself what makes you tick. And, how to find it in your role until you discover a position that really resonates with you as an individual.    On the podcast we discussed…    Michel’s career from how he first got into corporate treasury to launching his own consulting firm  How to approach commodity risk management  The difference between working in a principle led and rules led treasury environment  How to implement centralised cash management and an FX management policy  The value of blockchain in the future  Career tips and guidance for aspiring treasurers    If you’d like to get in touch with Michel, you can connect with him via his LinkedIn profile.    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 iTunes click here!

Being a leader in treasury is a challenge to say the least. But, it also comes with a great deal of job satisfaction and fulfilment. Joel Campbell, the Vice President, Treasurer & Chief Risk Officer at H&R Block, joins me on this episode of the Treasury Career Corner Podcast to talk about his career, recruiting candidates and what it takes to be in a leadership role within the industry.  Joel currently leads Block’s global Treasury and Risk Management functions with primary responsibility for capital structure strategy, treasury operations, bank, rating agency, and debt investor relations, along with the company’s Insurance & Risk and Enterprise Risk Management functions. Joel joined H&R Block from The Western Union Company, where he was Vice President & Assistant Treasurer leading teams responsible for capital management, banking, insurance and risk management, and WU’s pension investments.    Prior to his role at Western Union, Joel served as Vice President & Assistant Treasurer with increasing responsibilities at both Ameriprise Financial and The Travelers Companies.   He holds an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management, a B.A. in Accounting from Cedarville University, and the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation.  On the podcast we discussed…  The benefits of working in different international markets and learning about foreign exchange  Understanding debt and equity instruments across jurisdictions on an international scale  How to give your team strategic direction rather than micromanaging them  How enhanced automaton is expected to impact the treasury industry in the future  Advice for anyone going into their first leadership role  The importance of taking calculated risks as a treasurer and how it can help you climb up the treasury career ladder  If you’d like to get in touch with Joel, you can connect with him via his LinkedIn profile.   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 iTunes click here!