Building the Business Case for TMS Implementation

27-02-2023 | treasuryXL | Kyriba | LinkedIn |

 

By Andrew Deichler, Content Manager, Strategic Marketing

Source

 

Convincing the CFO to approve the adoption of a treasury management system (TMS) almost always requires the treasurer to carefully build a strong business case. During a panel session at a recent Kyriba event, treasurers from multiple companies shared their experiences pitching TMS implementations to their finance chiefs.

 

 

Establishing a Need for a Treasury Management System

Building the business case for new treasury technology is a tall order, even if doing so can greatly improve cash and liquidity management, FX risk management, working capital management and more. In times of economic uncertainty and budget tightening, it’s even more challenging. But treasurers can have greater success if they know how to position a treasury solution as a necessity.

Lee-Ann Perkins, assistant treasurer for Specialized Bicycle Components, noted that throughout her career, she has been successful pitching a TMS implementation to a CFO at times when various external factors were in her favor. If the economy was good or the company was performing consistently well, then getting buy-in for treasury technology can be a much easier sell.

Fred Schacknies, treasurer for TechnipFMC, noted that treasurers generally “don’t do a great job” of talking TMS implementations to the CFO. Schacknies speaks from extensive experience, having pitched TMS implementations to four CFOs at four different companies. In his estimation, convincing the CFO generally boils down to showing them what finance and treasury currently cannot do without such a treasury system. “Either it’s helping a critical transformation or it’s not,” he said.

For example, treasury at TechnipFMC manages “a material foreign exchange portfolio,” which is challenging to do with legacy technology, Schacknies explained. While treasury also is well staffed in comparison to the size of the company, it could run more efficiently if certain tasks we automated. So, gaining buy-in from the CFO on a treasury system implementation wasn’t difficult because Schacknies was able to show that it supported key strategic and organizational imperatives.

According to Chris Mitchell, treasury director, technology and operations for Koch Industries, it can also help to provide the CFO with more of a long-term vision rather than just immediate process improvements. When the treasury leadership team presented the case for a TMS implementation to the CFO, they first discussed the benefits of automation. It didn’t move the needle. But when they presented their overall vision and strategy of a treasury department across the world working closer together, the CFO was able to see how a TMS could help. “We needed one single application that could be accessed across the entire globe by a core group of treasury individuals to support our businesses,” he said.

Treasury can also capitalize on timing. Petar Tomicic, treasury manager for Beam Suntory, explained that the 2014 acquisition of Beam Inc. by Suntory created a “perfect storm” for a TMS implementation. The treasury department knew that the legacy system it was using was outdated. After the acquisition, it became immediately clear that the system didn’t have the capacity to handle the growth that the company was expected to experience. So, for Beam Suntory’s treasury, building a business case with the CFO wasn’t difficult because it was absolutely necessary due to the changes the company was experiencing.

Finding Allies Outside of Treasury

It also helps to have allies outside of treasury to support your case. A TMS implementation affects more than just treasury, and it can help immensely if other departments recognize this fact.

Stephen Kincaid, vice president and assistant treasurer for Walker & Dunlop, explained that in 2016, his controller was the one who first suggested investing in a TMS. This occurred right before AFP’s annual conference, which provided the perfect opportunity to meet with various TMS providers.

After speaking with several TMS providers at the conference and ultimately selecting Kyriba, Kincaid and his controller needed approval from the CFO. Fortunately, the CFO agreed because they were able to carefully illustrate why Walker & Dunlop needed to adopt a treasury system. “We had over 1,000 bank accounts with multiple banks, and didn’t have an easy, efficient way to track our cash positioning in real-time,” he said. “Ultimately, my controller was easily able to convince the CFO of the many benefits that a TMS could provide to our organization.”

When Lee-Ann Perkins join Specialized in 2021, she faced a unique challenge. Treasury had already adopted Kyriba, but the project had stalled prior to completing the implementation across the company’s locations around the world. “So, my job was to restart a Kyriba implementation for the rest of the company—in 80 countries,” she said.

Finishing the implementation was critical for Perkins to achieve her overall goals of automating and maturing the treasury department. While Specialized is a large, global company, the treasury team is small. Maintaining continuity—which includes cash visibility and protecting the company’s financial assets—is much easier to do with a treasury solution. But completing the project would require more than just getting the treasury team on board, as well as producing hard numbers.

“The sell to the CFO was to get resources from the financial side and the human capital side to ensure we could keep the implementation going,” she said. “It wasn’t what I would call an easy sell. It required conversations, quantitative metrics and qualitative metrics, to ensure that there was buy-in from the end-users. Because at the end of the day, those people running the system need to also know that they can use it in their particular jobs as well.”

Making the Case for a TMS

There are a multitude of factors that can contribute to treasury either getting the approval for treasury software implementation or getting shot down. With a possible recession looming and many companies tightening their purse strings, 2023 may be an exceptionally challenging year for treasury departments to get buy-in for a TMS. Treasury must establish the need for a system—not only for itself but across other departments.

Often tasked with doing more with less, treasury has consistently risen to the challenge. But there comes a point where investments need to be made for treasury and the overall business to continue to perform at a high level. If treasury can make that case, then getting buy-in might not be a tall order after all.

SurePay | Prevent fraud and errors with The IBAN-Name Check for Organisations

24-02-2021 | treasuryXL |

Award-winning Fintech company, SurePay, integrates the IBAN-Name Check into your business processes. This prevents fraud and errors and allows you to realize more efficient processes.

SurePay was founded in 2016 and has been providing the IBAN-Name Check to all major Dutch banks since 2017. In the years that followed, the group of customers expanded to corporates and partners. Today, SurePay provides the Confirmation of Payee service in the UK, while at the same time introducing new services in the Netherlands. At the beginning of 2020, SurePay became a Private Company and an independent part of the Rabobank Group.

Experience the benefits of the IBAN-Name Check in your business processes

Entering, using and checking customer data is often labor-intensive. By integrating the SurePay IBAN and name check into your systems, you make your processes more efficient, safer and reduce the risk of fraud.

This way, the online registration of new customers runs more smoothly, you collect from and you pay to the right person. Moreover, you know whether you are dealing with a private or business account! Various organisations, like insurers, municipalities and energy companies already use the IBAN-Name Check for organisations. The same solution makes sure that the Covid-19 payments are delivered safely, at scale and to the right people in both the Netherlands and the UK.

2020 recap at a glance

SurePay saw a spectacular growth of 1719% in the number of checks for organisations. More than 125 organisations now use the IBAN-Name Check.

See the complete 2020 year report here.

They use the service in the onboarding process of new suppliers and customers (KYC), in claims and payout processes, in direct debit processes and in fraud investigations. This makes processes more efficient, safer and reduces the risk of fraud and misdirection, avoiding all the damage and hassle that goes with it.

The results are impressive:

  • 90% less drop-outs during onboarding
  • 80% less fraudulent onboardings
  • 50% less uncollectible invoices

Want to know more about the IBAN-Name Check for Organisations?

To know more about the IBAN-Name Check like features, roadmap, use cases and the team behind this proven solution, click on the following banner.

Thanks for reading, take care.

Unlock Your Treasury Expertise Today – Download Our Free eBook!

23-02-2023 | treasuryXL | LinkedIn |

Upgrade Your Treasury Expertise Today! Calling all Treasurers, CFOs, Cash Managers, Controllers, and Finance Addicts! Don’t miss out on the chance to enhance your financial skills and gain a competitive edge in the fast-paced world of finance. Our free eBook, “What is Treasury?”, provides a comprehensive guide to treasury management.

Download the comprehensive eBook on Treasury function, compiled by treasuryXL. This valuable resource covers a wide range of relevant topics including Treasury, Corporate Finance, Cash Management, Risk Management, and Working Capital Management.

Drawing on the expertise of Treasury professionals and their best practices, we have carefully crafted clear and concise articles that provide you with the most crucial information about the key topics in the world of Treasury.

In this eBook, we take a deep dive into each Treasury function and explore:

  • The purpose of each Treasury function, including what it is and why it matters
  • The role of specialists in each function
  • Examples of common activities associated with each function
  • A summary of frequently asked questions and answers
  • A conclusion that ties everything together

Whether you are new to Treasury or an experienced practitioner looking to expand your knowledge, this eBook is an essential resource that will help you stay up-to-date with the latest best practices and insights in the field.

How to receive the eBook ‘What is Treasury’ for Free?

We simply giveaway two presents for you! By signing up for our newsletter you will automatically receive the following in your inbox:

  1. On Fridays, our Coffee Break weekly newsletter will land in your inbox. In this weekly newsletter, we will highlight the whole week full of the latest treasury news within our community.
  2. The 41 pages eBook, What is Treasury?
Subscribe and Download

 

Subscribe, Join, Download and Relax.

Welcome to our community and have fun reading!

 

 

Kendra Keydeniers

Director, Community & Partners at treasuryXL

 

 

Treasury fundamentals in 2023

17-02-2023 | treasuryXL | Kantox | LinkedIn |

Get ready for 2023 with our deep dive into the treasury fundamentals that will take over the currency management scene. All you need to know, from trends to technology, in one article.

Disclaimer: This information is being shared for informational purposes only and was originally published by Kantox (Source)

CFOs and treasurers are getting ready to face the many challenges of 2023. Finding the right approach to currency management will help them protect their company’s margins and adapt to the new reality.

In this episode of CurrencyCast, we sat down with our special guest, François Masquelier, for a complete session on the treasury fundamentals for 2023.

In this article, we will take you through:

  • Trends in currency management to watch out for in 2023
  • How to drive better currency management
  • Technology and tools to optimize FX risk management

Setting the scene for 2023

Let’s analyse what upcoming currency management trends are going to be the main focus for treasurers this year.

Challenges and opportunities in currency management

When we take a look at recent European Treasury surveys, the PwC global annual survey and the last OECD survey or surveys, there is a common theme regarding the main focus for treasurers this year.

FX risk management is a top priority for corporate treasurers from 2023 onwards, right behind cash flow forecasting and digital transformation. This means that FX risk remains highly ranked by treasurers, and there are several reasons for this.

  1. First, the FX rate is highly volatile. And we saw this volatility in the last couple of months or years with COVID, the war in Ukraine, etc. It does not seem like this is going to shift towards decreasing market volatility for FX currencies. Interest rates are important due to swap points, differential interest and commodities.
    CFOs need to protect operating margins as currency movements can affect them, thus, solid and efficient hedging strategies and tools are necessary. Despite this, corporate treasurers focus on manual processes, as automation is lacking.
  2. Another key factor for the importance of FX risk is digital transformation. CFO and treasurers are shifting their traditional mindset to consider the implementation of new financial tools and technology.
    And this is mainly because they have started to realise that automation and digitization could be a way to reduce that risk or, at the very least, to improve the management of said FX risk.
  3. Finally, last but not least is cash flow forecasting. It has been a top priority for a couple of years now; for 2023, it should remain a top priority. And again, for the same reason, because we live in a world of uncertainty.
    So finance professionals need to make sure that they have accurate data and accurate forecasts. Otherwise, it would be difficult to manage your FX risk properly.

Large interest rate differentials

Sometimes CFOs do not always understand all the possibilities in terms of what we call optimizing forward points, that is to say, interest rate differentials.

The forward points may be a concern when there is a significant differential of interest, especially with exotic currencies. So it could be expensive to hedge certain currency pairs, depending on which side you are in. Sometimes those forward points could be in your favour, and sometimes could not be in your favour.

Treasurers with a favourable interest rate differential can decide not to hedge at all and just monitor the exposure. This is feasible, but as it is a highly manual task, the monitoring process of the open exposure can become quite tedious and inefficient.

However, the good news is that there exist certain solutions that allow them to dynamically manage your FX exposure. This way, finance professionals can reduce or mitigate the impact of the swap points and, ultimately, reduce the impact on costs.

The multicurrency world

The dollar and the euro remain important currencies, but there is a number of currencies from smaller but well-managed economies gaining ground.

As corporate treasurers are taking advantage of the benefits of buying and selling in more currencies, there is a microeconomic and bottom-up phenomenon leading to that multi-currency world.

Using the more exotic or smaller currencies, if managed properly, can protect your company against risks. The best approach to currency management this year is to use the most profitable currencies all the time.

Better currency management is possible

You can prepare for these trends if you have a strong currency management system that covers the entire FX workflow and allows you to have clear visibility over your exposure. Take a look at the two main areas that could be affecting your currency management strategy.

Accurate cashflow forecasting, or not?

Sometimes the importance of having accurate cashflow forecasts is somewhat overstated when it comes to currency management.

Let’s take the example of a micro-hedging program for firm sales or purchase orders. The exposure to hedge is already a contractually binding item, not a forecast at all. So we don’t have really much of an issue.

On the other hand, if you take the case of a layering program or layered hedging program, the FX rate would be built in advance, so the forecasted exposure to hedges is also known well in advance.

And finally, thanks to conditional orders that protect a budget rate, the Treasury team can have time to update and finetune their cashflows.

Fewer silos, better treasury

At Kantox, we believe that currency management is more than just currency risk management, and that currency risk management, in turn, is more than just the instant execution of a hedge.

But that requires a holistic approach to currency management, to cover the entire FX workflow.  This means doing away with a siloed approach that allows the company to grow beyond imagination.

In treasury and finance, there are many silos that impact the optimal management of the department. Having clear communication and flow of information with other departments is vital. It provides better visibility of the exposure and gives the CFOs the ability to react to the volatility in the market faster.

Something key in the challenging context we are facing that impacts the very thin operating margins, and a great way to generate added value to the treasury function.

One clear example of this is the companies with subsidiaries that operate in foreign currencies. By offering the subsidiaries to invoice or be invoiced in the local currencies, you are centralising the FX risk, generating value for them and improving risk management.

Another example of tearing down the silos in treasury management is the relationship between the commercial and finance teams. They don’t always see eye to eye, but providing commercial teams with the FX rate they need in real-time is a good way of eliminating that silo mentality.

As consultants from McKinsey said, the early adopters who drive cross-functional teamwork are going to reap the benefits and see a great increase in annual revenue growth.

Technology to optimize your currency management

Now that you know where to focus on improving your currency management, consider what tools could streamline this. But don’t forget to analyse if the current process is hurting you more before implementing new technology. Consider what areas of your FX workflow need revamping.

TMS lack visibility

One of the main pain points for CFOs is not having access to real-time data and dashboards that reflect the current state of the company’s financials. This makes it more difficult for them to make the right decisions on time.

There are tools, like the TMS, that are used in the treasury function with the objective of getting summarized information and reports but they are not properly fit for decision making at the C-level.

They lack dashboards fed with real-time data that would make it easier or facilitate the communication between Treasury and the C-suite. TMS have a few other shortcomings when it comes to currency management.

“Often a CFO is a car driver who does not see his/her dashboard immediately but with delay” – François Masquelier

When pricing with an FX rate, using the forward rate instead of the spot rate can help companies in certain situations improve their competitive position without hurting their budgeted profit margins.

But most TMS lack a strong FX rate feeder, meaning the possibility of providing commercial teams with the appropriate rate -a spot, or the two-month or the six-month forward rate, the pricing markups for a client segment-

Another problem with TMS is that the functionalities in the report are standard and not really customer variables. They are more of like pret-a-porter solution.

When we talk about the reporting and development of specific functionality, treasurers must find a way to fulfil these gaps and find the missing pieces.

This means that in the pre-trade phase of the FX workflow, TMS is not covering the needs of treasurers and CFOs.

AI, the future of treasury?

ChatGPT is all the rage right now, AI or artificial intelligence is making a comeback. But is it going to be the future in terms of treasury management and cashflow forecasting?

AI could play a role in the future of treasury management. However, we are still in the early days and there are many other ways CFOs and treasurers can start the digitization of the treasury function before resorting to AI.

There are some things that need to change in the way treasury is done and the approach of many finance professionals to the treasury tech stack. Those in charge of managing currencies need to be comfortable with their IT skills to make good use of new technology.

Another hurdle to the implementation of AI in treasury is the lack of access to comprehensive and immediate data. And finally, the inefficiency of highly manual processes when relying on spreadsheets for currency management. All of this takes away from producing accurate cashflow forecasts on foreign currencies.

Moving forward

As we have seen, there are many challenges to currency management that CFOs and treasurers will need to be well prepared for this year.

As interest rate differentials rise and the volatility in FX markets continues, there needs to be a good currency management system to handle the FX risk.

With the help of automation tools, finance professionals will be able to eliminate the silos that hinder the company’s growth and increase visibility over open exposure.

Download now our Currency Management Priorities for 2023 report to learn more about upcoming focus for treasurers and get your currency management strategy ready.

LIVE SESSION | Unlock the Benefits of Interim Treasury Management

14-02-2023  treasuryXL | Treasurer Search | LinkedIn

 

Join us for a thought-provoking Live Session on Interim Treasury Management, where our experts will delve into the pros and cons of this exciting market.

Unlock the Benefits of Interim Treasury Management: Discover Why it’s a Must-Have for Your Business!

 

 

Our panel of seasoned interim treasurers, including Emiel van Maris, Francois De Witte, and treasury recruiter Pieter de Kiewit, will share their valuable insights and experiences.

This webinar is designed for aspiring interim managers, potential clients, and anyone interested in learning more about this market.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain tips and tricks from the experts in the field and engage in an open discussion.

Register now to secure your spot!

 

REGISTER HERE

 

Everyone is welcome to this webinar.

🌟Moderator: Pieter de Kiewit of Treasurer Search

🌟Duration: 45 minutes

 

𝘉𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘺𝘟𝘓 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘤𝘺 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺.

We can’t wait to welcome!

Best regards,

 

 

Kendra Keydeniers

Director, Community & Partners

 

 

 

 

How to mitigate credit risk

09-02-2023 | treasuryXL | Kantox | LinkedIn |

When managing foreign currencies there is an underlying FX risk that Treasurers may not see, the credit risk. In this week’s episode of CurrencyCast, Agustin Mackinlay explains how to mitigate this risk.

Disclaimer: This information is being shared for informational purposes only and was originally published by Kantox (Source)

Embrace currencies to protect your capital, maintain your cash flow, secure your earnings and access better financing! Let’s find out how to mitigate the consequences of the underlying FX risk, the credit risk.

When working with foreign currencies, CFOs and treasurers have the mission to try to reduce the FX risk as much as they can. But there is an underlying currency risk that they could be missing, credit risk.

In this week’s episode of CurrencyCast, we shared the secrets to mitigating credit risk by embracing currencies. Now, we will explain in detail what are the key actions that involve eliminating this risk.

Understanding credit risk in currency management

There is an underlying currency risk that you are probably not seeing and could eliminate easily just by following a simple rule in your currency management strategy, embracing currencies.

This is the credit risk or, more precisely, the risk in account receivables when customers need to settle their bills in a different currency than their own.

Why embracing currencies is the secret to tackle credit risk

What do we mean by embracing currencies? There are many benefits that treasurers and CFOs can gain from implementing a multi currency approach to their FX strategy.

Some of them include the ability to price more competitively or boost your company’s profit margins just by operating with multiple currencies. But there is one which is helping companies drastically reduce currency risk, by uncovering the underlying credit risk.

We’ll reveal the advantages of taking ownership of the underlying FX risk so that you can expand your business with full confidence.

Uncovering the underlying credit risk 

If you are selling in Emerging Markets like Brazil or Turkey but using only one currency like EUR or USD, you might be tempted to think that you have solved the currency risk problem.

But that’s an illusion: the underlying currency risk is still very much there. By urging customers to use a currency that is foreign to them, you are in effect transferring that risk onto their shoulders.

In the event of a sharp devaluation of the local currency, they might feel inclined to wait for a better exchange before settling their bills. In other words, your customers would speculate in FX markets with your firm’s money.

We’ve seen that phenomenon at play after the pandemic, both in Latin America and Eastern Europe. As a treasurer or CFO, you don’t want to be in that position.

Taking ownership of the underlying FX risk

In order to avoid your client’s FX risk from turning into your own credit risk, the solution is to sell in the currency of your customers while taking care of the underlying FX risk. Needless to say, this presupposes a strong, automated currency cash flow hedging program.

Such programs include: hedging firm sales/purchase orders as they materialise, hedging forecasted exposures for one or more campaign/budget periods, or a combination of these, with tools that provide visibility over the exposure throughout.

Advantages of owning the currency risk

Now you know the importance of seeing there is another added layer to your currency risk that you could be missing. It is time to consider the advantages that would flow from taking full ownership of the underlying currency risk:

  • Capitalprotection. You are protecting your firm’s capital against catastrophic loss while managing reputational risk at the same time
  • Cost of capital. You are reducing the cost of trade credit insurance if you use it, slashing lousy debt reserves and freeing up capital
  • Performance. You are securing company earnings while maintaining cash flow
  • Commercialexpansion. You are in a position to expand sales with confidence, gaining market share and/or targeting new customers

Finding a solution to mitigate the risk efficiently

After uncovering the underlying FX risk, you need a solution to mitigate the credit risk.

A currency management automation solution could be the answer for companies that want to embrace currencies. This type of tool can streamline your currency management strategy and automate your entire FX workflow to reduce FX risk, including the ‘hidden’ credit risk.

 

As we mentioned before in this episode of CurrencyCast, we live in a multi-currency world where businesses can take advantage of the profit margin-enhancing benefits of selling in many currencies, like monetising existing FX markups or driving high-margin sales to company websites.

Thanks to automation, these advantages far outweigh the perceived inconveniences and costs of managing the underlying FX risk. And, in the current scenario of uncertainty, you get an additional and very attractive bonus: less credit risk in your commercial operations. That’s quite a lot!

Effective Finance & Treasury in Africa | Eurofinance

07-02-2023 | Eurofinance | treasuryXL | LinkedIn |

Join senior treasury peers on March 7th in London at EuroFinance’s 10th annual Effective Finance & Treasury in Africa. Understand changing developments and the unique opportunities and challenges of doing business in this dynamic region.

This year’s speaker line-up includes experienced treasurers – all active in African markets – including:

● Edward Collis, Treasurer, Save the Children
● Neiciriany Mata, Head of finance, Angola Cables
● Marta de Teresa, Group treasurer, Maxamcorp
● Chigbo Enenmo, Finance and treasury manager, Nigeria LNG
● Folake Fawibe, Integrated business service lead, Danone, Southern Africa
● Jan Beukes, Group treasurer, MultiChoice Group

They will discuss important topics including cash and FX, payments, liquidity and financing, digital transformation, share success stories and provide practical guidance on how to optimise your treasury operation for growth.

For the full agenda and to register, please visitt this link.

Quote discount code MKTG/TXL10 for an exclusive 10% discount for TreasuryXL readers.

If you have any questions, you can contact the EuroFinance team directly at [email protected].

 

Registration is open – find out more and register now.

 

 

Uncovering the benefits of a multicurrency world

03-02-2023 | treasuryXL | Kantox | LinkedIn |

We’re living in a multicurrency world and we’re multicurrency treasurers. You can get a head start on your competitors by simply understanding the benefits of operating with multiple currencies. Start leveraging the multicurrency world we’re in.

Disclaimer: This information is being shared for informational purposes only and was originally published by Kantox (Source)

With so many benefits to operating with the different foreign currencies out there, it is crazy to think that some companies are not taking advantage of this.

In this week’s episode of CurrencyCast we discussed why businesses should consider implementing a multicurrency approach to their FX risk strategy. This article will take a deeper dive into the benefits and give you some insight into how to be a more strategic treasurer.

Why we are in a multi-currency world

In this episode, we analyse a development that many find surprising, but that stands at the core of our thinking at Kantox: the multi-currency world. The prevailing view of a world dominated by a handful of currencies like the dollar and the euro is being challenged as we speak.

We’ll reveal how you can take advantage of the benefits that lie ahead in this multi-currency world and contribute to enhancing your profit margins.

How is technology pushing forward a multi-currency world

The currencies of a number of small, but well-managed economies (together with the natural rise of CNY) are gaining in importance: SEK, NOK, CAD, AUD, NZD, SGD and KRW among others.

The change is not driven in a top-down manner by macroeconomic forces. Instead, it reflects a bottom-up and microeconomic phenomenon, made possible by technology.

Today’s multi-currency world is mostly driven by corporate treasurers taking advantage of Multi Dealer Platforms such as 360T. These platforms have led to a dramatic compression of spreads, increasing liquidity beyond the major currency pairs and reducing the network effects of the USD.

For example, whereas a CAD-MXN transaction used to require two trades involving USD and CAD on the one hand, and USD and MXN on the other, now CAD-MXN can be directly and competitively traded on Multi-Dealer Platforms.

 

currency composition graph of FX reserves from IMF

 

Advantages of the multi-currency world

Back to the issue of the multi-currency world. Let me mention some of the benefits of selling in more currencies (we discussed the advantages on the contracting side earlier on):

  • FX markups. With multi-currency pricing, businesses can monetise existing FX markups.
  • High-margin sales. Companies can drive direct, high-margin sales on company websites with many different payment methods.
  • Reduced cart abandonment. Online businesses can deploy multi-currency pricing as their secret weapon to reduce cart abandonment.

Let’s take this example if you are a company operating with imports from a foreign country there could be some hesitation regarding whether to work with the local currency or not. In certain cases, using the local currency translates into better deals from a commercial perspective, as FX markups from suppliers are avoided. Also, firms get access to a wider range of suppliers.

From a liquidity management perspective, you may benefit from extended paying terms as well giving you more runway to finalise your sales. Finally, from a strictly financial perspective, there could be a wider forward discount of currency pairs which is a way to generate more positive forward points when hedging.

A strategic issue in the age of innovation

By taking FX risk out of the picture, you put your business in a position to confidently use more currencies in day-to-day operations. Additionally, if you then implement the best automation solution that will help you remove time-consuming and error-prone tasks, you could have a strong currency management strategy that becomes a great strategic asset.

On top of that, there are other bonuses to implementing technology:

  • Optimisation of interest rate differentials between currencies
  • More time to devote to value-adding tasks
  • Openness to further automation

Wrap up

Now you know all the benefits of a multicurrency world for currency managers. By empowering commercial teams to always buy and sell in the most profitable currency, the finance team acts as a strategic business enabler within the enterprise. That is the promise of the multi-currency world that is taking shape as we speak.

You are now prepared to face the future of currency management and reap all the benefits of the multiple currencies available. But to keep the ball rolling and make the most of foreign currencies, you need a tool that allows you to have full control of your FX exposure.

That’s why Kantox offers a unique currency management automation solution that enables treasurers and CFOs like you to optimise your FX workflow. Talk with our currency management experts and find out how today.

5 Treasury Trends for 2023: Managing Currencies in an Age of Uncertainty

26-01-2023 | treasuryXL | Kantox | LinkedIn |

Scared about 2023 looking even worse than the crazy last three years? Keep calm and take a holistic approach to currency management. 

Source: Kantox

If we look back at the economic landscape of last year, treasurers and CFOs have been dealing with risky scenarios for a while. But is the future as dark as some say? Our latest episode of CurrencyCast featured the treasury trends for 2023. In this article, we will take a deep dive into those trends and give you some tips on how to tackle the challenges in this volatile landscape.

Treasury trends for 2023

Consultants and pundits are busy laying out scary scenarios for 2023. However, the future is uncertain so let’s not waste time in futurology trying to predict what’s coming.

Instead, we can focus on understanding the treasury trends of 2023. In this article, we’ll analyse those trends with a focus on currency management and give you actionable tips on how to handle any hurdles ahead.

CFOs and corporate treasurers need to be well prepared for the upcoming challenges and opportunities as they manage currencies. The top five priorities in the corporate treasury space for 2023 are:

  1. FX volatility
  2. Shifting interest rate differentials
  3. Liquidity management
  4. Cash flow visibility
  5. Automation

FX volatility

In the past year, the financial markets have seen high levels of FX volatility and an unstable economy that seems to point towards a recession. Trends of high inflation, banks’ rising interest rates, political instability, and more will remain in the new year.

Hence why, it is fair to say that currency managers need to be well-prepared to face interrelated risks affecting FX rates. Companies dealing with foreign currencies will have difficulties accurately forecasting cash flows.

However, there is no reason to panic yet. There are a few strategies that corporate finance professionals can implement to tackle FX volatility; we will explain them later.

Shifting interest rate differentials

Shifting interest rate differentials are a likely scenario in 2023 as central banks act to tame inflation, each at its own pace. The good news is that companies can optimise such interest rate differentials across the entire FX workflow. Here are a couple of examples:

– With favourable forward points, pricing with the forward rate improves the firm’s competitive position without hurting budgeted profit margins.

– With unfavourable forward points, pricing with the forward rate helps managers avoid losses on carry and the temptation of excessive pricing markups.

– Finally, the cost of hedging can be lowered by delaying hedging execution with the help of automated conditional FX orders.

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Liquidity management

In addition, the current emphasis on strong liquidity management will persist well into 2023. Liquidity management allows the treasury team to have a wider view of the company’s resources and be financially agile.

This will give any treasury professional the required accurate insights on the cash projections. And ultimately, help the business be prepared for potential liquidity risks that may arise.

Cash flow visibility

Avoiding less-than-stellar cash flow visibility will be top of mind for treasurers in 2023. As economic cycles could be disrupted again, companies need to be able to get ahead of the curve and reduce deviations in their cash flow projections.

However, we believe that the importance of having accurate cash flow forecasts is somewhat overstated, at least when it comes to currency risk management.

To understand why this is so, the treasury team should consider how the different cash flow hedging programs deal with this concern:

– In firms with dynamic prices, forecasting accuracy is not much of a concern because firm sales/purchase orders have a very high occurrence probability.

– In firms with steady prices across several campaign/budget periods, layered hedging programs build the hedge rate in advance instead of protecting an FX rate.

– In firms with steady prices for a single campaign/budget period, conditional orders to protect the budget rate provide managers with time to update their forecasts.

For better cash flow visibility in the new year, companies will need to consider their ability to implement hedging programs that best suit their needs.

Automation

In 2023, the role of the corporate treasurer will require professionals to improve their technological skills. The traditional treasury function is shifting towards an automated digital infrastructure that enables increased efficiency and faster processes.

To manage currency risk in the new year, treasurers will need to move away from siloed systems and wasting time on manual tasks. Instead, they need to look for a solution that is able to automate the entire FX workflow.

Tools that are able to connect, via APIs, to their treasury management system and other data sources, for updated reports that give accurate insights into their FX exposure.

Facing the challenges

Now you know the treasury trends that will be dominating 2023 for corporate treasurers. But we also want to give you some tips on how currency managers should act in the face of such challenges.

As we like to emphasise at Kantox, currency management is much more than currency risk management. And currency risk management, in turn, is more than just the act of executing a hedge. Let us see this in more detail.

Consider the case of automated conditional orders to protect a budget rate. To the extent that the underlying levels are not hit, no trades are executed. Yet, you are still actively managing your firm’s exposure to currency risk.

Delaying hedges may lead to netting opportunities that ultimately result in less, not more, hedging transactions. The results are:

  • Less trading costs
  • Savings on the carry in the event of unfavourable forward points
  • Less cash immediately set aside for collateral requirements

The right approach for 2023

Pundits predicting a catastrophic 2023 may turn out to be right. Then again, they might not. In any case, the priority for currency managers is to take a holistic view of currency management that allows them to:

  • Embrace the entire FX workflow
  • Avoid silos and have commercial and finance teams work hand in hand
  • Take advantage of the profit margin-enhancing opportunities offered by currencies

As you have seen, corporate treasurers will need to be well-prepared for all the interrelated risks of the turbulent economic landscape. With the help of the right automation tools, the treasury function can have a strong currency management strategy that helps them storm the weather outside.

Kantox is the currency management automation solution that covers the entire FX workflow so you can improve your profit margins and leverage foreign currencies.

Book a free strategy session with our currency management specialists to learn more.

Six Tips to Protect Your Organization Against Payments Fraud

25-01-2023 | treasuryXL | Kyriba | LinkedIn |

By Bea Saldivar, Global Payment, ERP and Treasury Advisor
Andrew Deichler, Content Manager, Strategic Marketing

Source

 

The Threat of Impersonation

Payments fraud in 2021 was as bad, if not worse, than the year before, according to the 2022 AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey. But even though business email compromise (BEC) scams dropped substantially last year, many organizations are still falling prey to them and incurring significant losses.

At the heart of BEC scams and more recent developments like deepfake fraud is impersonation. Cybercriminals use social engineering tactics to develop profiles on company employees or routine vendors, which they then impersonate to dupe unsuspecting people into making critical mistakes.

To identify an impersonator, it’s helpful to know the telltale signs. More than likely, the payment request will be urgent and will attempt to exploit unique circumstances, such as a specific time when employees are out of the office. Additionally, if your organization is making a lot of payments to contractors for a project, fraudsters might attempt to exploit that.

For example, Philabundance, a Philadelphia food bank lost about $1 million due to a successful BEC scam. The food bank was in the process of building a $12 million community kitchen. The accounts payment (AP) team received an invoice from what they thought was a construction company supplier and made a payment.

The Government of Carrabus County, N.C., also found itself victimized by a vendor BEC scam. The county intended to send money to a contractor it had been working with for the construction of a new high school. Through a series of emails that began in late 2018, the fraudsters made requests to update bank information. The county didn’t do its due diligence and ultimately sent more than $2.5 million to the fraudulent account. While over $776,000 was ultimately recovered, about $1.7 million remains unaccounted for.

Common Fraud Myths

When it comes to payments fraud, many treasury and finance departments still get lulled into thinking they are more protected than they are. Organizations may assume that their procedures are infallible or that any lost funds will be reimbursed, but they quickly get a wake-up call when a successful attack happens. The following myths are common.

“We have an approval process in place.” Even the companies with the strictest policies in place can still have a breakdown in processes. Employee ID/password combinations can be stolen. Regional treasury/shared service centers may require fewer numbers of approvals due to limited in-country staff. And companies with multiple ERP systems might have different approval processes—a scenario that is ripe for fraud.

“My bank will cover me.” There is no obligation for a bank to cover any client for payments fraud, unless the bank itself has been breached, like in a bank employee scheme. The bank may still reimburse corporate clients on a case-by-case basis, but don’t bet on it.

“We have cyber insurance.” Many companies assume that if they purchase cyber insurance, that they are covered in the event of a loss. However, if an organization can’t prove that it took all the right steps to protect itself, it’s very likely that the insurance policy won’t cover the loss. Many plans don’t cover BEC scams, for example, because they involve an employee making an error. There have been several legal cases where insurance firms have refused payment and the courts sided with the insurers. Furthermore, even if cyber insurance does agree to pay out, you might still have to pay a high deductible. For some plans, that cost can be tens of thousands of dollars.

What Can You Do?

Fortunately, there are many ways to protect your payments and your data. The following tips can help.

Embrace the cloud. Organizations should embrace cloud technology to secure payments and systems. IT teams know that payments data and connectivity are more secure when hosted externally. However, not all cloud solutions are alike. Solutions like Kyriba Enterprise Security ensure that treasury, payments, and risk data meet internal security policies and international security requirements while providing 24/7, global support.

Align all departments. Your internal IT department, as well as any key areas that touch payment processing areas such as treasury, accounts payable, shared services, etc. all should be aligned with your security policies. With more and more companies allowing remote work, companies must ensure that all employees are using effective protections such as strong passwords, policy controls, multifactor authentication, IP filtering, single sign-on and data encryption.

Automate payment processes and standardize controls. Automation allows organizations to standardize the payment journey from the initial request to the receipt of the payment. Risk lies in the exceptions to a standardized process, i.e., payments made outside of this typical format that provide fraudsters with opportunities. Again, these are usually one-time, urgent payment requests that can come in for things like mergers and acquisitions, legal settlements, emergency payroll, etc.

Enable real-time screening, alerts, and notifications. The rise of same-day and real-time payment systems has increased the need for real-time responses to fraud attempts. Modern fraud detection software uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to screen payments against historical payment data, pinpointing any anomalies.

Implement fraud prevention workflows. Modern payments fraud modules support fully automated, end-to-end workflows for the resolution of outstanding suspicious payments. Users can determine how each detected payment should be managed, enforcing the separation of duties between the initiator, approver, and reviewer of a detected payment.

Know your vendors. Vendors can be a major liability for your company. In some cases, vendors are granted access to their customer’s network credentials. If that vendor’s security protocols are lacking, they can become an unknowing backdoor into that customer’s systems. This is what happened in the infamous Target breach in 2013. Therefore, it is imperative to have a detailed information security questionnaire that can provide confidence in the governance and risk programs that a vendor has in place. Additionally, with vendor BEC scams proliferating, organizations need to make sure that requests for payment instruction changes are verified directly with the vendor before any transactions are completed.

Safeguarding Your Payments

To mitigate the risk and safeguard your payments, organizations must have a unified solution that connects ERPs, internal and external systems that allows for a secure, end-to-end payment journey. Furthermore, when exceptions occur, protocols can’t be abandoned no matter how urgent the request. Any departments that touch payments need to understand that one slip up can be catastrophic, not only leading to loss of funds, loss of job and reputational risk for the whole organization.

Kyriba is here to help you protect your organization against payments fraud. Learn more here.