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Een parttime CFO – parallellen met de Flex Treasurer

| 29-6-2017 | CFO netwerk | treasuryXL |

CFO netwerk biedt (parttime) CFO diensten aan ondernemingen, waarvan aard en omvang van de activiteiten de fulltime inzet van een CFO niet rechtvaardigen. Wat dat betreft herkennen wij parallellen met onze Flex Treasurer, die wij op treasuryXL aanbieden aan ondernemingen, die wel treasury exposure hebben, maar geen ruimte om een fulltime treasurer of cash manager in dienst te nemen. We waren in gesprek met Jeffrey Janssen van CFO netwerk en hebben de parallellen voor u uitgewerkt.

CFO op maat

Wat is de toegevoegde waarde van een CFO voor een onderneming?

Veel jonge en kleine bedrijven hebben vaak niet de financiële mogelijkheden om een ervaren CFO in dienst te nemen. In deze situatie is wellicht een parttime CFO een goede oplossing. Een ervaren professional met commitment die u voor een beperkt aantal uren inhuurt, maar toch de vinger aan de pols houdt en indien nodig 24/7 voor u beschikbaar is.

Maar waar u als ondernemer ook bent in de levenscyclus van uw bedrijf, het goed functioneren van uw financiële afdeling is van groot belang en zij hoort u tijdig te informeren over strategische, financiële vragen die van belang zijn voor het voortbestaan van uw bedrijf. Daarbij gaat het niet alleen over cijfers, maar ook over een sterke CFO, die u uitdaagt en als business partner optreedt bij de bepaling van de strategie en volgens een strakke CFO-agenda de groei van uw bedrijf ondersteunt.

Uw bedrijf groeit

U werkt hard en investeert. Het bedrijf groeit en alles gaat eigenlijk beter dan verwacht. Of toch niet? Er ontstaan groeistuipen en er worden veel ad-hoc beslissingen genomen om de voortrazende trein op het rechte spoor te houden. In deze fase kunnen grote fouten worden gemaakt die de continuïteit in gevaar brengen. De belangrijkste hiervan is dat het strategische plan niet wordt gevolgd en dat dit plan niet regelmatig wordt geëvalueerd en aangepast. Aspecten die in deze fase van groot belang zijn:

Het hebben van juiste en tijdige stuurinformatie (ook wel KPI’s genoemd)
De kwaliteit van de organisatie (juiste mensen, juiste skills) De administratieve systemen en procedures. Zijn deze nog adequaat en kunnen ze de groei aan?
Is er voldoende cashflow aanwezig om de continuïteit te waarborgen?

Succesvol en nu verder…

Alle bedrijfsprocessen zijn goed ingericht – het gaat heel goed met uw bedrijf. De resultaten zijn uitstekend, maar blijft dat zo? Indien u niet bezig bent met nieuwe innovaties, oog hebt voor de veranderingen in de markt loopt u het risico dat uw groei gaat stagneren en te laat uw organisatie hierop aanpast. Ook dan moet U keuzes maken die ingrijpend zijn en een weerslag hebben op mensen en systemen. In deze fase is het cruciaal dat u de continuïteit van het bedrijf centraal stelt en het bedrijf robuust maakt voor de toekomst. Ook hier is het de taak van de CFO om dit spanningsveld te bewaken en u tijdig te helpen in uw besluitvorming.

Ups and downs

Iedere onderneming komt ze vroeger of later tegen. Door te weinig innovatie streven uw concurrenten u voorbij. De resultaten lopen opeens terug. Uw bankiers komen vaker langs en aandeelhouders zijn niet tevreden en eisen veranderingen. U bent het grootste deel van uw tijd kwijt aan het managen van uw liquiditeit en het sussen van aandeelhouders en personeel. Zorg dat u in deze fase de juiste mensen binnenhaalt om het tij te keren, dan wel te zorgen dat keuzes worden gemaakt. Dit kan van levensbelang zijn om een faillissement te voorkomen.

Wat kan een CFO betekenen?

Een krachtige CFO is een sparringpartner die u als ondernemer in iedere bedrijfsfase ontzorgt en uw financiële continuïteit bewaakt. Hij of zij is onder meer verantwoordelijk voor de financiële systemen en processen, de stuurinformatie en de contacten met financiers en accountant. Maar bovenal moet hij als financiële business partner onderdeel zijn van uw team en mede sturing geven aan de strategische agenda van uw onderneming. Een onderneming kan niet functioneren zonder een goede CFO in het hart van uw organisatie.

Een Flex Treasurer als ondersteuning voor de CFO

We merken dagelijks dat treasury iets is waar CFO’s en Controllers er vaak te weinig tijd voor hebben en/of niet altijd de noodzakelijke kennis. HR managers en directeuren bemoeien zich er liever niet mee.

Ook hier hetzelfde beeld: de meeste organisaties zijn niet groot genoeg om een treasury-afdeling te huisvesten maar dat betekent niet dat deze organisaties geen kosten kunnen besparen of dat er geen mogelijkheden zijn voor bijvoorbeeld funding. Om de treasury van uw organisatie onder controle te hebben is het niet altijd nodig om er een complete afdeling van te maken.

Een ervaren hands-on treasurer kan een eerste check doen binnen de organisatie om te bepalen of het de moeite waard is om te investeren in treasury. Door optimalisatie van interne processen, het beter beheren van banken en bankkosten of het opnieuw organiseren van FX processen kan vaak een substantiële besparing worden gerealiseerd.

Cash & liquidity management ondersteuning

Heeft u een goed overzicht van uw liquiditeitspositie? Is er geen versnipperde cash- en kredietbenutting? Bent u onlangs geconfronteerd met liquiditeitsproblemen t.g.v. onverwachte uitgaven? Wordt u regelmatig geconfronteerd met manuele verwerking van betalingen? Bent u recent geconfronteerd met fraudegevallen? Is het aantrekken van de financiering een issue?

Een treasury expert kan u helpen in het vinden van de juiste antwoorden op deze vragen. Een Flex Treasurer kan ondersteuning bieden op tijdelijke basis, onder meer voor de volgende aspecten:

Begeleiding opvolging liquiditeitspositie groep en uittekenen processen in dit verband
Assessment van het cash forecasting proces en voorstellen tot optimalisatie
Optimalisatie betalingsprocessen (incluis fraudepreventie)
Advies selectie bankpartners
Nazicht van de bankvoorwaarden
Bepalen van de optimale financieringsstrategie
Automatisatievoorstellen en begeleiding van de implementatie

Optimalisatie werkkapitaalverkeer

Kampt uw bedrijf met een DSO (gemiddelde betalingstermijn klanten) die veel hoger is dan het sectorgemiddelde? Heeft u een duidelijk afgelijnd acceptatieproces en een politiek voor de betaaltermijnen? Is je facturatieproces optimaal? Heeft u een afgelijnde politiek voor de selectie en de betalingstermijnen aan uw leveranciers? Heeft u regelmatig incassoproblemen? Kampt u met wanbetalingen en afschrijvingen op uw klantenportefeuille? Ondervindt u regelmatig reconciliatieproblemen bij binnenkomende en uitgaande betalingen?

Dan kan een Flex Treasurer, die treasury & working capital management expert is, u helpen bij het vinden van de juiste antwoorden op deze vragen en het optimaliseren van uw werkkapitaalbeheer.

FX en IR risico analyse

Heeft u een goed zicht op de risico’s die je bedrijf oploopt (o.m. valuta en renterisico) en op de impact hiervan op uw bedrijf? Heeft u een politiek in verband met de risicoafdekking? Heeft u een zicht op de mogelijkheden om ze in te dekken? Koerswijzigingen in valuta en rente kunnen zeer vluchtig zijn en leiden tot onnodige extra kosten. Als u zich wilt concentreren op uw ‘core business’, zonder u zorgen te hoeven maken over bv. de EUR/USD wisselkoers of de Europese rente dan is het inhuren van een Flex Treasurer de ideale uitkomst. Hij kan de organisatie helpen eenvoudig en effectief de risico’s af te dekken, alsmede te onderhandelen over betere spreidingen en lagere kosten bij uw bank.

Aangeboden diensten

Met de verschillende CFO diensten van CFO Netwerk krijgt u het beste van beide werelden: de expertise van een ervaren CFO en op maat gemaakte uitbestede CFO diensten — tegen een prijs die u zich kunt veroorloven. De CFO-diensten zijn schaalbaar in de tijd. Dit betekent dat het niveau van ondersteuning geleverd wordt, dat u nodig hebt en wanneer u het nodig hebt.

Op treasuryXL bieden wij een Treasury Quick Scan aan, die beoogt de treasury-pijnpunten in kaart te brengen en de aanbevelingen om deze te verhelpen, inclusief de business case. Op basis daarvan kunt u bekijken of er voor verdere ondersteuning een treasury-expert voor uw organisatie zinvol is.
Daarnaast biedt treasuryXL ook treasury coaches aan. Treasurers werken vaak alleen of in een klein team en hebben ondersteuning nodig van andere (meer senior) treasury professionals. Vaak is deze ondersteuning niet aanwezig binnen het eigen team. In ons netwerk zitten een aantal senior professionals die deze ondersteuning op regelmatige basis kunnen bieden. Zij kunnen op regelmatige basis of incidenteel ingepland worden.

Mogelijke samenwerking

Omdat er duidelijk parallellen zijn tussen de diensten van CFO netwerk en treasuryXL en de diensten elkaar goed aanvullen, onderzoeken wij op dit moment of wij wellicht kunnen samenwerken. Het doel is om organisaties, die een financiële professional – parttime CFO of Flex Treasurer – nodig hebben, als klant nog beter van dienst te zijn.

Trade Finance – funding your imports and exports

|28-6-2017 | Vincenzo Masile | treasuryXL |

You might visit this site, being a treasury professional with years of experience in the field. However you could also be a student or a businessman wanting to know more details on the subject, or a reader in general, eager to learn something new. The ‘Treasury for non-treasurers’ series is for readers who want to understand what treasury is all about. Our expert Vincenzo Masile tells us more about trade finance products.

Trade finance instruments

International and domestic trade is highly complex and involves a web of intricate risks. Trade finance instruments are available to deliver fast, efficient, reliable and comprehensive solutions for every stage of a company’s trade value chain to support their foreign trade activities.
Trade finance products can be combined and shaped into a custom-built product that helps reduce company’s risks and will enable the business to flourish.

Innovative tailored short, medium and long-term trade finance solutions enable banks to meet their corporate and financial institutions client’s global import and export needs in a timely, efficient, risk adverse manner.
Trade finance products include letters of credit, documentary collections and bank guarantees. With a letter of credit (also known as a documentary credit), the buyer’s bank guarantees payment to the seller if certain criteria are met. Documentary collections, just as letters of credit, reduce the payment risks on international trade transactions, and with a bank guarantee company obligations to third parties are ensured. All these products offer security and protection against risks if an international trade transaction does not go as planned.

Funding and security

Importers and exporters can also use a letter of credit to obtain financing. An exporter, for instance, can obtain funding from his local bank to manufacture the goods as this bank is assured that payment will follow when the documents are presented under the credit.

In summary, it is not difficult to see the potential complexity of the arrangements on offer and the variety of ways in which they can be beneficial to a company. It is paramount, however, to work with a bank that fully understands the financial instruments available and their protocols and applicability in the overseas markets. Given this, trade finance and cash management are powerful tools for business growth and momentum.

Vincenzo Masile

Treasury Expert/Credit Risk Manager

Blockchain innovation conference 2017- an inspiring event

| 26-6-2017 | Lionel Pavey |

I had the distinct pleasure of attending this conference in an editorial role for TreasuryXL.
More than 50 speakers and 400 attendees ensured that there were many lively discussions and thought provoking statements made during the day.

So, what is Blockchain?

We keep reading about it, and I have a basic understanding of the concept, but this day enabled me to discover more. It is a distributed ledger, or even more simply put – a database; but a database with additional properties.
General characteristics include that they are independent, secure via encryption, either public or private, permanent, trusted, shared and decentralized.

What can Blockchain do?

As stated recently by Carlo de Meijer – another expert contributor to TreasuryXL – beyond the obvious applications relating to banking (payments and settlements), potential non-financial applications include intellectual property, health records, contracts, tax collection, voting etc.

What are the advantages of Blockchain?

Single source of truth – all data centralized and shared
Assets can be digitized
Transactions and data are secured via cryptography
Triple entry accounting – you, your counterparty and the Blockchain
Confirmation is at the ledger level
Third parties are known and trusted
Simplify processes
An imbedded KYC platform
Trust is organized at the transaction level and not the company level
Being able to focus on core competencies
Settlement can be against a utility or service and not a currency
Transparent and traceable
Reduction in fraud
Bespoke smart contracts
It is data-driven

What are the problems with Blockchain?

Cryptocurrency is small and pricing is volatile
Market is still immature
Has to be scalable to make it cost effective
Platforms must be sturdy and resilient
Proof and security of identity are major issues
A steep learning curve for all new entrants
Unknown platforms in the future – current providers may not exist in the future
Misunderstanding the purpose of the Blockchain – clients want solutions , not just Blockchain

Soundbites

True acceptance will only happen when a cryptocurrency is backed by Government/Central bank
Implications – overestimating in the short term; underestimating in the long term
Education needs to prepare for the social consequences and changes for the next generation
About 100 people own about 50% of all the Bitcoins that have been mined so far
Bitcoin is undervalued – in 10 years time it could be worth $500k – $1m per coin

Business topics

Financial institutions highlighted the need for validation and simple processes, along with being able to manage, track and protect trade transactions.
A good example of the application of Blockchain in banking was shown on an export/import case where much time was won by the use of shared documentation.
A practical application was shown relating to PGB (personal health budget). Clarity was created for the patient (budget holder), local authority, budget authority and the local care worker.
An example of managing contracts for real estate.
A French institute that collects data on sleeping patterns, to allow for better diagnosis.
A Chinese lending institute that assists in the financing of smaller entities within the supply chain.
Various discussions on the concept of “Pay per Use” and the “Sharing Economy”.

Highlight

A simple question was asked – “Do you want to participate with us in a better future?”

This was the start of a very inspirational talk given by Jan Peter Doomernik from Enexis BV. After such a simple eloquent question, I was confronted by a slide entitled “Disruptive infrastructures towards basic income”.

Despite my initial frustration at what I felt was an awkward title after such an uncomplicated question, I was intrigued how the 2 would come together. What followed over the following 20 minutes, was an insightful and visionary talk that showed how the world of the future could look like via autonomous assets creating basic income for people.

The link to the conference video can be found at https://blockchaininnovationconference.com/live/ and the film starts at 9:19:00

A shorter version of the slide show can be found at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ_HUFBqz1fEgwNRXRZZbXg

I found the presentation to be engaging, challenging, compelling and provocative. The integrity and simplicity in his story were thought provoking and proof, if needed, that technology can change our lives in a very profound way. The beauty of it all was that solutions were proposed without being pushed into the background by monetary issues.

So what have I learnt?

Conferences should be organized via smart contracts on the Blockchain – they never stay within the agreed timeframe.

From a practical point of view, after having seen the presentations on trade finance, I started thinking about how could one financial solution be developed for all participants in a supply chain as opposed to every individual party having to arrange their own cost of funding due to the time lag between sale and settlement? I am sure there are already people working on that solution.

Blockchain is here to stay – it might get a different name and come with a different set of clothes on it but, essentially, it is here to stay. We will all have to learn to embrace it – our tried and tested concepts will change.

They say the future is bright – but with Blockchain and Bitcoin we will have to go mining. Now that is normally in the dark and below ground. A paradox!

Lionel Pavey

Cash Management and Treasury Specialist

Cryptovaluta: Goudmijn of zeepbel?

| 23-6-2017 | Olivier Werlingshoff | BNR | treasuryXL |

Een paar dagen geleden was op de site van BNR een artikel te lezen over de hype rond cryptovaluta. Onder cryptovaluta verstaan wij digitale munteenheden zoals bitcoins en etherum, soms ook alternatieve geldsystemen genoemd. Wij hebben onze expert Olivier Werlingshoff gevraagd hoe hij de situatie rond cryptovaluta inschat.

Cryptovaluta

BNR beschrijft de hype als goudkoorts en vraagt zich af, of het niet gaat om een nieuwe intenet zeepbel. Toezichthouder AFM stelt volgens BNR dat het grootste deel van de ‘cryptovaluta’s’ de waarde voor de reële economie nog moet bewijzen. Ondertussen stroomt het geld de markt in. De bitcoin is nog altijd de grootste en kost nu 2750 dollar. Op 1 januari was dat nog 960 dollar. De nummer twee, ethereum, is gestegen van 8 dollar op 1 januari naar nu zo’n 397 dollar. Dit betekent dat de ethereum dus bijna 50 keer over de kop is gegaan in een half jaar tijd. Deze enorme rendementen trekken natuurlijk mensen aan. Maar de AFM waarschuwt mensen. Beleggingsspecialisten vrezen dat mensen die nog nooit een aandeel hebben gekocht, nu in cryptocurrencies stappen, zonder zich goed te hebben ingelezen. ‘Hun doel is niet om te investeren, maar om snel rijk te worden.’ Maar dat lukt nu misschien niet meer. Het lastige van beleggen is namelijk dat op het moment dat werkelijk iedereen de kansen ziet en wil profiteren, het eigenlijk te laat is.

Olivier Werlingshoff geeft de volgende commentaar:

“Ik ben het eens dat de snelle stijging van de koersen van de Crypto Valuta een hausse is. In informele sfeer krijg ik meer en meer te maken met vragen of ik ook al bitcoins heb gekocht en hoeveel winst ik inmiddels gemaakt heb! Het lijkt heel erg op de gesprekken over internet gerelateerde aandelen eind jaren 90. Ook toen zag je snel stijgende koersen en dezelfde informele gesprekken ontstaan.

Nadeel van de bitcoin en andere cryptovaluta’s is het hoge risico dat ermee samenhangt. Zolang de volatiliteit hoog is zal het moeilijk zijn om deze te gebruiken voor zakelijke transacties. Ik ben van mening dat na een “shake out” een enkele zal blijven bestaan, de volatiliteit zal afnemen en mogelijk kan de cryptovaluta, die er dan wel nog is, dan pas gebruikt worden voor zakelijke transacties.
Maar eerst zal de zeepbel in waarde, die is gecreëerd moeten knappen!”

Olivier Werlingshoff

Owner of Werfiad

Bank Account Management – A Treasurer’s Guide

| 22-6-2017 | Treasury Intelligence Solutions GmbH (TIS) | Sponsored content |

Bank Account Managment knows many issues and the Guide of TIS reviews them, lists best practices and various suggestions to improve the process at your organization.

Risk and liquidity management are top of mind for treasurers in today’s business climate highlighting the importance of bank accounts. They are necessary to pay, receive and store money and also to protect resources and facilitate treasury management. Companies must have at least one bank account, some have hundreds and a few require thousands of bank accounts to conduct their business. Bank accounts are also the means by which companies are connected to other businesses, people and the banks where the accounts are held. This makes the business of bank account management not only an important task but in the current hyper-connected environment of cybercrime, terrorism, fraud and tax evasion a mission critical function. Failure to properly manage bank accounts has the potential to cause material disruption or business failure for the account holders.

If you want to read more about this subject please click on in this whitepaper.

Treasury Intelligence Solutions GmbH (TIS)

Since 2010, Treasury Intelligence Solutions GmbH (TIS) has been combining their treasury management experience and know-how with their cloud computing and virtualisation expertise. The TIS solution is the result of these efforts: comprehensive, highly scalable and extremely secure SaaS solution to process, analyse and document all treasury management processes.

Succesful breakfast session at Proferus

We reported earlier that Proferus BV, Amsterdam organised a breakfast session, the first of a series, dedicated to CFOs, Senior Cash Managers and Treasures, this time focusing on Cash Flow Forecasting. The session has taken place yesterday and we want to share a short impression with you.

In their first session Proferus focussed on sharing best practices aound the topics cash forecasting strategies, direct vs indirect approach, the need for cash flow forecasting and forecasting software from CashForce. Nicolas Christiaen, founder of CashForce gave real life examples of how CashForce is deployed to help companies efficiently deploy cash force forecasting for treasury management.

During the meeting there was a livley discussion about the need of cash flow forecasts and the difference between the direct and indirect method. Ideas were shared as well as experiences and practical examples. The presentation of the cash forecasting system of Cashforce by Nicolas Christiaen was well received and very interesting.

The breakfast session had a good attendance and positive reactions! Proferus already started to plan and organize the next meeting!

If you want to know more about the breakfast session you can download their presentation: [button url=”https://www.treasuryxl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Presentatie-liquiditeitsplanningen-Proferus-1-2.pdf” text=”View presentation” size=”small” type=”primary” icon=”” external=”1″]

treasuryXL & Proferus BV

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Blockchain Innovation Conference 2017

| 20-06-2017 | treasuryXL |

On June 22, 2017 the Blockchain Innovation Conference 2017 opens its doors in Amstelveen, near Amsterdam. The event will bring together around 50 speakers and 400 national and international pioneers from start-ups, the corporate world and government, to discuss the radical changes Blockchain technology is bringing to all activities that rely on trusted third parties.

What to expect?

The cypto world is on fire: Ether went up 30 times but is now going down for the first time in weeks! Has the crash begun? Blockchain investor Tuur Demeester is sceptical. Current events and long term implications will come together at the conference. What more to expect?

The crypto currency world shows over 200% growth in the last 5 months! We have 50 national and international speakers including Ling Kong (China Foxconn blockchain), Wiebe Draijer (Rabobank), Mathieu Galtier (healthcare), Torsten Dahmen (RWE energy) and Mark Buitenhek (ING) who will give their insight on this and other implementations of blockchain. The complete program is now online on our website.

It will be packed! There are only a few tickets left.

Blockchain Growing Pains

Reality versus expectations
Gartner puts Blockchain on top of the hype cycle – at the peak of inflated expectations. Right now, every problem in every industry can be fixed with Blockchain technology! Is it a matter of belief? We will investigate the growing pains of the Blockchain, what can go wrong, and what we should question. Industry analyst David Birch wooed the audience in 2016 with a talk about Identity & the Blockchain. He returns to the event in 2017 with a keynote, titled “Blockchain is not a technology, it’s a religion”.

Hot issues
Other topics on the agenda for the 2017 event: the governance issues in the public bitcoin blockchain which are reaching boiling temperature with the coming core and unlimited fork and the aftermath of the Etherium fork. The rise of the private blockchains in fintech, insurance, energy, government and other industries. The decisions main players in this field take now will decide our future paths. Long time Blockchain Entrepreneur and investor Marc van der Chijs, founder of Global Data Chain, will share his analysis of industry developments.

Private versus Public debate
Will public Blockchain technology lead, or are private Blockchain initiatives more likely to prevail? Will the corporate world take the lead or is innovation more likely to come from government or public initiatives? What role does economic uncertainty play?

Case studies
The blockchain is the basis for a new trust paradigm, which will affect processes in a wide range of industries. From banking, insurance and credit ratings, to manufacturing networks and energy markets, from tracking and tracing of copyrighted materials, to connected cars and secure health records, in all these areas the blockchain will be a catalyst for the creation of new decentralized applications. We will take a close look at practical examples already in place.

Gartner
Gartner published reports on Blockchain. A Gartner consultant is invited.

Program

7:00 – Early registration
7:30 – Breakfast sessions: “Blockchain for Dummies”
Everything you need to know to follow the conference and have a meaningful discussion. If you, like 99% of the population, have heard of words like bitcoin, blockchain, ether, mining, proof of work, cryptocurrency, decentralized ledger, ethereum and DOA’s, but have not yet a really clear idea of what it means and why it is so important then BE THERE!

Breakfast tables
The partners of the BIE will offer breakfast sessions with the keynote speakers for an open exchange between the experts and a small group of invites. Speakers: Simone Vermeend (Author Blockchain – the technology that changes the world radically), Vincent Everts & Joël Happé, Paul Bessems (75min)

8:00 – Registration
8:45 – Session 1: Opening Conference
10:30 – Coffee break
11:00 – Session 2: Keynote presentations and debate
12:30 – Lunch
13:30 – Tracks: Government, Business and Technology
15:15 – Break
15:45 – Final session: Closing talk
17:30 – Networking drink

For more information please click the button.

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Blockchain technology by 2018: A breakthrough

| 19-6-2017 | Carlo de Meijer |

Last year August I wrote a blog on what to expect for 2017. Now we are halfway 2017, so it is time to look forward to next year: 2018. According to the Gartner Hype Cycle we are now in the “Trough of Despair” stage. That indicates that we have left the overhyped period behind us, and entered a more realistic period with real-world applications. Some see this market as the classic S-curve: periods of little news flow, followed by a significant market-moving announcement, a significant uptick in activity followed by another plateau.

What did I forecast for 2017?

1. We are beyond the hype

2. Focus on blockchain integration

3. Private blockchain networks

4. Use cases will be further broadened to non-financial applications

5. Blockchain technology will become more mature enabling better and more secure application …

6. …… and also directly chained solutions

7. In 2017 we will see real-world applications

8. The year of the smart contracts

9. Growing competition for blockchain platforms

10. Increased discussion about standards

11. Security gets priority

12. Regulators enter the scene

What may we expect for 2018?

A lot is happening in the blockchain arena. And many announcements are being made of new proof of concepts, and initiatives in a large number of areas. But does that mean that 2018 will be the year of the breakthrough of blockchain? Let’s look what the various organisations think. That could give some indications.

Accenture

First of all Dutch-based consultancy Accenture. According to them, the years 2015 and 2016 focused on research and proof of concepts (PoC’s ) in a broad spectrum of blockchain use cases. But for 2017 – 2018 the organisation expects Dutch banks will concentrate on a number of real-world application areas and use cases. Thereby the focus will be on solutions that are ripe for commercialisation. During these years blockchain will develop in the banking world form promise to a valuable solution, Accenture expects.

Banking group: Blockchain to be “widely adopted by 2018“

Another interesting initiative is that of Deutsche Bank, UBS, Santander und BNY Mellon. They have announced a blockchain product cooperation and develop a digital currency of their own, to be market ready by 2018. According to the group, reliable, ready-to-run products across industries will have a positive business case within the next few years. “By that time, we will not even notice that Blockchain is the enabling technology anymore. It will have matured enough to promote itself in widely accepted, evolutional steps rather than in a disruptive, revolutionary manner”.

BTMU plans international fund transfers via blockchain in 2018

Also worthwhile to mention is the cooperation between Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (BTMU) and six other international banking groups, including Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Standard Chartered Bank of the U.K., Royal Bank of Scotland, Spain’s Banco Santander, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and Australia’s Westpac Banking. They will launch a faster and lower-cost cross-border wiring service that uses blockchain, in 2018. US start-up Ripple will thereby provide blockchain technology. This group will initially offer the global blockchain transfer service to individuals in early 2018, and then slowly expand to corporate clients.

Capco

According to financial service business and technology consultant Capco, 2018 will be the year blockchain technology comes into production. The company names lending, CDS swap trade and post-trade lifecycle, trade finance and business-to-business payments as some of the areas that would first benefit from blockchain technology. This is supported by the many announcements by the industry of “movements from small proof of concepts within innovation centres of financial institutions, to C-level mandated proof of concepts supported by actual business cases and a roadmap into production”.

DTCC to Adopt Blockchain Tech by 2018

Also in the US blockchain developments are challenging. The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) announced that it plans to go live with its blockchain-powered credit default swaps (CDS) reporting platform in the first quarter of 2018. The project to rebuild its existing credit derivatives clearing platform using distributed ledger technology started in January 2017 with the help of fintech startup Axoni, technology giant IBM and the R3 blockchain banking consortium. It aims to improve its process by revamping its Trade Information Warehouse using distributed ledger technology to increase operational efficiencies. The DTCC’s new CDS reporting solution will launch in shadow mode and run alongside currently existing post-trade infrastructure. It will allow multiple financial institutions to view and update transactions at the same time.

IBM study: 90% of governments plans to invest in blockchain by 2018

According to a recent IBM Blockchain research report titled “Building trust in government – Exploring the potential of Blockchains”, government organizations across the globe are exploring use cases for blockchains that can impact their jurisdictions. The IBM Institute for Business Value surveyed 200 government leaders in 16 countries on their experiences and expectations with Blockchains.

One of the outcomes was that nine in ten government organizations plan to invest in Blockchain for use in financial transaction management, asset management, contract management and regulatory compliance by 2018. And seven in ten government executives predict Blockchain will significantly disrupt the area of contract management, which is often the intersection of the public and private sectors.

Infosys study : one third of banks expect commercial blockchain adoption in 2018

A study by Infosys Finacle, a global leader in technology service & consulting, that polled over 100 business and technology leaders at more than 75 financial institutions across the world revealed that, while 50% of banks are already investing in blockchain or will do so in 2017. These investments not only support blockchain initiatives, but also explore use cases beyond the traditional realm of cross-border remittances, clearing, and settlement. Banks are now moving towards commercial adoption, and one in every three banks expects to see commercial adoption by 2018. While 50% of the surveyed banks expected to see mainstream commercial adoption only by 2020. Cross-border remittances, digital identity management, clearing and settlement, letter of credit processes, and syndication of loans are the most likely candidates for commercial adoption.

McKinsey

McKinsey, the world-wide management consultancy firm, recently submitted a blockchain Technology report to the US Federal Advisory Committee on Insurance. The firm analysed how the technology may disrupt a range of industries, emphasizing banking and insurance, and predicts commercial deployment of blockchain technology at scale by the year 2021. The firm states that more mature businesses using the technology have now entered the market, and over a hundred blockchain solutions have been explored. The firm expects 20 to 30 proof-of-concept use cases for blockchain technology to be tested in 2018, with 10 to 20 successful business cases surviving and deployed commercially by late 2020.

Thailand adoption of blockchain technology by 2018

As the blockchain technology continues to expand and take root and expand, Thailand also stands to see its widespread adoption in the country. According to the Bangkok Post, a number of sectors, including finance will adopt this new technology by the year 2018. Blockchain specialist Bhume said that the country is poised to see the technology take over banking and financial services in the near future.

“The adoption of blockchain technology is expected to be widely seen here by 2018, thanks to its capability of transferring valued assets with trustworthiness, transparency and security.” Bhume Bhumiratana, Bangkok Post.

What do I expect?

We are beyond the hype, a growing number of private blockchains arrived, use cases are further broadened to non-financial applications, and we see the first real-world applications. But still a large number of things have to be realised. We also see some disappointments like Project Jasper in Canada that sees many challenges to overcome before realisation. Bank-based collaboration R3CEV has lost a number of its founding members. That means we have entered the reality stage. But that is also a breakthrough!

Carlo de Meijer

Economist and researcher

2 most common financial risks faced by a company

| 16-6-2017 | Victor Macrae | treasuryXL |

You might visit this site, being a treasury professional with years of experience in the field. However you could also be a student or a businessman wanting to know more details on the subject, or a reader in general, eager to learn something new. The ‘Treasury for non-treasurers’ series is for readers who want to understand what treasury is all about. From our expert Victor Macrae we received another article on risk management, of which we thought that it adds some extra aspects to the earlier article on riskmanagement.

An important task of a treasurer is to fully understand the financial risks that impact the firm. Two risks faced by most companies are interest rate risk and foreign exchange risk. Both risks can negatively impact the firm’s financial statements and can ultimately even lead to bankruptcy!

Interest rate risk

Interest rate risk originates from interest bearing liabilities. Most firms have loans. In the case the interest rate is variable, the interest paid varies according to an agreed market rate, such as Euribor or Libor. The risk is that the market rate will increase to a level where the firm is not able to pay its interest payments any more. In that case the firm is in default and theoretically the loan provider can request full loan redemption. In practice the loan provider is now in charge and will increase the margins on the loan as a result of the higher counterparty risk and also other charges such as fees of lawyers will be due. In order to mitigate interest rate risk a firm can use fixed rate loans or use variable rate loans in combination with interest rate derivatives such as interest rate swaps or options.

Foreign exchange risk

Foreign exchange risk occurs when a firm has subsidiaries abroad or when it transacts in a foreign currency. Suppose a firm with the euro as home currency sells products in Japanese Yen (JPY). Payment is due in three months’ time. If the JPY has weakened against the euro with 20% when the payment is due after three months, the revenues in euro are 20% lower. If the margin on the sales was 15%, then the negative foreign exchange rate change has led to a loss of 5%. Foreign exchange rate risk can be mitigated by various means, such a moving production to countries where the firm sell its products in order to match the currency of cash in- and outflows. Furthermore, derivatives such as forwards or options can be used to mitigate foreign exchange risk.

3 steps

The first step in managing interest rate risk and foreign exchange risk is to examine how the firm is exposed to these risks. The second step is to measure the impact of the volatility of interest and currency rates to which the firm is exposed on its financial statements. In the third step, if the effects are serious, the treasurer should consider which of the available options for risk mitigation best suits the firm.

Victor Macrae

Owner of Macrae Finance

How to get a fair deal on your derivatives trades

| 15-6-2017 | Simon Knappstein | treasuryXL

We discovered the article ‘Are you getting a fair deal on your derivatives trades” on treasurytoday. In the article derivatives are described as a good tool to mitigate risk and protect the company’s financials from moves in the market. However, derivatives come at a cost and often these costs are also hidden, which means that the treasurer cannot be sure that he is getting a fair deal.

Price of the deal

Greater transparency is needed and that was the reason why company NEXTrioptima developed its triCalculate solution. When treasurers execute a deal with a bank they typically cannot see how the price of the deal is calculated and what the bank is charging them for credit risk.The tool triCalculate tries to change this by taking the corporate’s derivatives trade file, a credit curve file and a credit support annex (CSA) file (where one exists) and running these through a series of highly complex mathematical simulations. The result: an accurate XVA calculation that enables corporates to quickly identify and price the impact of a counterparty default and the cost of funding a derivative portfolio. This is the first Software as a Service (SAAS) on the market. The tool does not only provide companies with greater transparency over their current derivative portfolio, but also offers the chance to plan new deals much better.

We asked our expert Simon Knappstein if this tool is really worth the while.

All the capital a derivative trade consumes, or is expected to consume, over its lifetime is increasingly incorporated in the price of a trade. CVA, a valuation adjustment for counterparty credit risk was initially the major adjustment, soon to be followed by FVA (funding value adjustment) and many related adjustments that go under the umbrella name XVA. Properly calculating these adjustments for every trade on a portfolio basis is difficult and time consuming. So the new product offering TriCalculate by NEX TriOptima looks like a promising tool for corporate treasurers to help them gain insight in the pricing process of derivatives offered by their bank. By the way, being able to calculate a fair value on a potential trade does not guarantee you a fair deal, but it will certainly help.

Simon Knappstein

Owner of FX Prospect

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