25-05-2022 | treasuryXL | Pieter de Kiewit | LinkedIn |
We at treasuryXL consider it our task to inform you about all that’s interesting in Treasury. Last week Schwabe, Ley & Greiner organized their FinanzSymposium for the 33rd time. One of our partners, Pieter de Kiewit of Treasurer Search, volunteered to go and check it out. This is what he came back with.
04-01-2022 | treasuryXL |
Welcome in 2022! We are thrilled to share the Top 5 Most Read Articles with you below.
TreasuryXL has grown considerably last year, and our data shows us that our articles have widely been visited. We would like to take you to our most viewed website and LinkedIn articles of 2021. (Treasury Topic ‘What is’ articles excluded).
by Xe
by treasuryXL, Carlo de Meijer
by Enigma
by VU
by VU
by Pieter de Kiewit, TreasurerSearch
Thank you for being part of the treasuryXL community. Wish you all the best in 2022!
Director Community & Partners
Marketing Coordinator
02-11-2021 | treasuryXL | Treasurer Search | LinkedIn |
treasuryXL is the community platform for all your relevant treasury questions.
We received the following question from one of our followers… Read more
26-03-2021 | Treasurer Search | treasuryXL
Our Partner Treasurer Search is looking for a Treasury Analyst with TMS Integrity experience for a fast growing international company. The ideal candidate for this position will start her second career step and has operational experience in a corporate treasury department. Experience with TMS Integrity is a must, any experience with SWIFT, KYC or TMS implementation is appreciated. English is a must, Dutch a plus. As a person she is hard-working, flexible and eager to learn.
The salary indication is €45K-€60K, the first contract is for one year with an intention to extend to permanent. The Treasurer Test might be part of the recruitment process.
Pieter de Kiewit
T: (0850) 866 798
M: (06) 1111 9783
E: [email protected]
22-09-2020 | treasuryXL | Treasurer Search |
Treasurer Search is founded in 2009. Treasurer Search recruits candidates for both permanent and temporary treasury positions in industry, trade, services and non-profit. They recruit treasury professionals of all levels, from young graduates to senior treasury professionals, for positions including corporate treasurer, cash manager, treasury controller, treasury consultant, treasury analyst, assistant treasurer and group treasurer.
Pieter de Kiewit, Treasury Aficionado, Recruitment Consultant and Owner of Treasurer Search. His market focus is the BeNeLux and Germany, his clients are mainly corporates, non-profit and consultancy organizations. Pieter holds an MSc. in Organizational Science and has over 25 years experience in international recruitment. In many ways he contributes to the Treasury Community by connecting people, companies, education and events.
We asked him 11 questions and 2 bonus questions. Let’s go!
In our vision the professional field of treasury will further evolve and serve a broader group of organizations. It is our mission to listen to treasurers, business and HR leaders and make robust matches taking everybody’s interest into account.
For me as a person, my first professional choice was recruitment. In 2009 I worked in the recruitment industry for 15 years in various roles with two international market leaders. I decided I wanted to recruit in a way that suited my clients, candidates and me best. And that an own organisation was the best structure to do so. Already early in my career I searched group treasurers and liked the job type in so many ways. With the expert combination of both recruitment and treasury, I think we can optimize our added value best.
Results, expertise, authentic
We take pride in what we do, want to show our added value and like our job. We are Dutch, direct, informal and also very much interested in you and what keeps you busy. We are here to stay and want to build long lasting relationships. And we are not afraid to try or even initiate something new.
Understanding the recruitment industry is not hard. What sets us apart from other executive search firms are our treasury expertise which enables us to dig in deeper. And our long lasting relationships. 90% of the candidates we find a position for, we had prior contact with. Over 50% of our revenue is repeat business and we are still growing. Clients like us because we find better candidates, quicker for a fair, market level fee.
Our USPs are stability and treasury expertise combined with recruitment skills. People who combine these aspects are few. We have taken steps not only forward but also back because new colleagues realized after a while that their motivation did not match the mission of Treasurer Search. By now we have a stable team and cautiously continue moving forward. In recruitment for our own organisation we spent even more time in informing potential colleagues.
The treasury community is an interested and intrinsically motivated group of people. Always willing to brainstorm and join. In order to channel positive input into plans that bring us the results we strive for, we cannot lose focus. That brings best results. Over time I better learned to avoid distractions but are not done learning.
Too many to make a comprehensive list. What strikes me most in treasury is that the professional level of treasurers is going up. Treasurers are nowadays educated at a higher level, better communicators and continue to invest in treasury education. Treasury is getting the platform it deserves.
Also recruitment is constantly changing. The success of a new hire will never be an exact science but we try to avoid risk. New insights and technology in our field resulted in www.treasurertest.com. In my opinion a perfect example of recruitment new style.
I hope and expect treasurers will be able to increase their impact. In large corporates they will be able to contribute in strategy, mitigate risk better and save cost. In mid-sized organizations they will find their spot in the CFO team where they are currently not always. The impact of treasury technology cannot be overestimated, one blog is not enough to describe that topic.
The cliché “profit is an opinion, cash a reality” is currently felt stronger than ever. The treasurer that cannot show his added value in these times might not be in the right position.
Predicting the future in these times is more daunting than ever, we just celebrated our first 10 years… I hope 10 years from now we can still show stability, treasury and recruitment expertise. Furthermore I hope clients who currently do not have a treasurer are happy we found one for them and also many more clients who are not based in The Netherlands enjoy our services.
Results. See that my colleagues are happy in their job and help candidates and clients moving forward.
That clients call us again because they like the candidate they hired through us before. That candidates are happy in their job we found them, and for a long time. That we created an organization with employees that like coming to work to a job that pays mortgages and children’s shoes. That the treasury community knows us and knows how to find us.
| 01-11-2019 | by Kendra Keydeniers |
The DACT (Dutch Association of Corporate Treasurers) is organizing their annual Treasury Fair at Hotel NH Conference Centre Leeuwenhorst in Noordwijkerhout on November 14th and 15th 2019. The DACT treasury fair is the most important annual treasury event in the Netherlands.
Practice-oriented workshops and specialist presentations on trends and developments. Information on the latest solutions, products and techniques in your professional field. And plenty of room for interaction with colleagues and peers. This is the successful formula of the DACT Treasury Fairs. This year, DACT is organising the 16th edition!
There are more than 50 exhibitors present at the Treasury Fair. You can see an overview of all exhibitors here.
We are thrilled to highlight the treasuryXL partners who will host a booth at the expo and organize a product demo:
ILFA Group
ILFA Group supports companies and civil society organizations in obtaining financing and managing their treasury.
Product demo 17:
De obligatielening 2.0
Time: 13:00 – 13:30
Presenter: Irma Langeraert – ILFA & Jasper Verhoog – AKD
BELLIN | ENIGMA
BELLIN is the global leader in technology for corporate banking and treasury.
Product demo 11:
Tm5 – SWIFT GPI functionality / Company case: Darling Ingredients Int.
Time: 11:30 – 12:00
Presenter: Hien Dijkstra, Darling Ingredients Int.l | Bas Kolenburg & Roderick Kroon, Enigma Consulting
Treasury Intelligence Solutions GmbH (TIS)
TIS is the leading cloud platform for managing corporate payments, liquidity and bank relationships worldwide.
Product demo 8:
TIS Corporate Payment Solutions
Time: 10:40 – 11:10
Presenter: Luuk Linssen and Jörg Wiemer – TIS
Cashforce
Cashforce is a smart cash flow management and cash flow forecasting platform for working capital intensive businesses.
Product demo 6:
Cashforce
Time: 09:50 – 10:20
Presenter: Nicolas Christiaen, CEO Cashforce / Bart Messing, European Treasury Manager Dawn Foods
Treasurer Search
Treasurer Search finds candidates for both permanent and temporary positions in industry, trade, services and non-profit.
You can find their booth at the beginning of the expo.
Contact: Pieter de Kiewit, owner Treasurer Search
Would you like to connect with one of our partners? I recommend to schedule your appointment in advance to ensure your spot. You can contact me directly for assistance. Of course you can visit their booth at the expo anytime, don’t forget to mention treasuryXL.
treasuryXL ambassadors Francois De Witte and Marco Lassche will be visiting the Treasury Fair on Friday, November 15th. Would you like to meet one of them and learn more about the treasuryXL mission and partnership options? Don’t hesitate to contact them directly and schedule your appointment today!
Marco Lassche
Ambassador
François De Witte
Ambassador
Thursday, November 14
Time: 19.00 – 23.30
EAT, MEET & GREET | info here
Grand Café Roundabout
Friday, November 15
Time: from 8.00
Registration, Expo, Workshops, Product demos, Master Class
Time: 16.00-18.00 Drinks
You can find an overview of the full programme here.
DACT, Dutch Association of Corporate Treasurers, is the professional association for (corporate) treasurers and treasury professionals in The Netherlands. It has 600+ members, employed by multinationals, large and midsized companies, but also working in public sector and nonprofit organisations.
As a professional association DACT stimulates the professional development of its members, offers a network that connects treasury professionals and facilitates a platform for the exchange of information and development of knowledge.
Kendra Keydeniers
Community & Partner Manager at treasuryXL
| 09-09-2019 | by Pieter de Kiewit |
Treasury recruitment organisations and treasury consultants are both involved in interim treasury assignments. They often approach the same candidates but work with a different cost structure. Expertise of the service provider and interim manager are always important. If capacity is most important in your assignment, a recruiter might be best. If the project result dominates, a consultant.
Between the times of life-time-employment and the current flexible employment contracts some decades have passed. The Dutch have been among the trailblazers in making the labour market more flexible. These developments are being applauded by some and regretted by others. In our niche, corporate treasury, employers and employees are mainly positive. In this article I want to focus on two channels through which you can find your interim treasurer.
In my opinion the underlying agreement for labour, contractor or consultancy is secondary to what the company is looking for. If they are looking for a long term (a year or more) solution with a predictable set of tasks, an interim solution is not appropriate. Interim will not offer the stability and will cost too much.
Obvious reason for choosing an interim solution is the temporary need for capacity and/or expertise. This can be because you are looking for the permanent solution or the regular employee has taken a time-out. Also when you are shutting down your organisation, capacity is the dominating factor. In a build-up, implementation or crisis transition skills are important. In all described situations specific expertise, measured in experience and education, is a must. How does this help you choosing between a recruitment or consultancy firm?
When to use a treasury recruiter to find an interim treasurer
As treasury recruiters we find candidates for interim positions in various ponds. First there is a group of independent contractors with a track record in interim management, with a legal entity that can hit the ground running. Next to this group there is a group of candidates that are between jobs or just before retirement. Knowledgeable and motivated. Some of them can work from their own company, others will work through payrolling solutions we can provide. This second group is not always best in hitting the ground running but does have the knowledge level. Some of them can make the transfer from temporary to permanent employment. Most of the times the second group comes at a lower rate but sometimes need more time to bring the same results.
When to use a treasury consultancy to find an interim treasurer
Most professional consultancies work with the idea that they will solve the problems of their clients. In fee structure it is even possible to define a project and agree upon the cost in advance. A recruiter will not be able to do this. An interim manager working through a consultancy can do so with shadow management: he can call colleagues if he lacks knowledge. Furthermore the infrastructure and support is more substantial. All these benefits come at a price: the average hourly rate of a consultant is often 50% higher than an independent interim manager with a similar profile would charge.
Where recruiters and consultants overlap
In competition with consultants we often notice that we (recruiters) approach the same candidates and ask a lower price. Also it happens that an independent senior interim manager is compared with a medior consultant who is on the payroll of the consultancy. In that situation the client has to decide if he prefers apples over oranges.
Final remark and what to do?
Often all parties pretend recruitment (and other) processes are 100% rational. They are not and that is not a bad thing. You should choose for the interim manager and service provider that makes you feel good and who solve your problem. Sometimes a high hourly fee and few hours is better than a low hourly fee and many hours.
It is not rocket science but do think before you act. If you want to only steer upon results and high expertise, a consultancy is best, in other scenarios a recruiter might offer a better solution. What is your experience?
Pieter de Kiewit
Owner Treasurer Search
| 16-4-2019 | by Pieter de Kiewit |
A few years ago I wrote a blog about the relay in TMS market leadership and kept following the market as an interested bystander. Last years I saw an increase in parties that steer away from traditional solutions for corporate treasurers like banks, consultants and TMS houses. What I saw was the rise of firms like Cashforce (forecasting), TIS (bank independent payment platforms) and NWBM or Kantox (FX dealing). The result is a very diverse landscape of many solutions that cover various aspects of the treasury value chain. Even for experts it’s not easy to oversee what is happening.
Currently I observe the market entering the next phase in maturity. I expected firms like Google, Microsoft, Amazon or SAP to step in, acquire a number of smaller suppliers and start an integration. This is not (yet?) happening. What I see is an increase of cooperation between smaller firms. TIS and Cashforce organize sales meetings together. By now Cashforce has also started a partnership with the traditional bank BNP Paribas. TMS supplier Bellin works together with transaction platform 360T and today I saw that TIS enters a partnership with FX broker Ebury. Apart from this, the traditional bank ABN AMRO launches an Ebury competitor Franx and ING launches a TIS competitor Cobase. All exciting developments and I am not able to predict what will happen next.
What I do know is that it will not be easier for corporate treasurers to make decisions about their infrastructure and services. Modern solutions can offer a lot more and often at a better price level. But what is the best solution? And if you choose for one solution, do you automatically also choose for others? Does your supplier advise you about the best solution or the one where he can get the highest kick back fee? How hard will it be to say goodbye if you are not satisfied anymore?
So for you as a corporate treasurer, the world gets better and more complex. A number of the issues already existed in the past, but were not so obvious. Personally I love to see all new possibilities. I think, at the end of the day, you will have to put in the effort, read, listen and speak, then analyse and decide for yourself. The responsibilities that come with being a treasurer cannot be outsourced.
What do you see in this market? I would love to read or hear from you,
Owner of Treasurer Search
| 25-09-2018 | by Pieter de Kiewit |
As owner of a small company I have been listening to people complaining about regulatory and compliance affairs for a long time. 2018 will be the year these affairs have a substantial impact on my business and now I can understand the complaints. Both treasurers, recruiters and, I expect, many others in our society, struggle finding the balance in correcting what goes wrong and the hassle of too many rules. Some simple examples:
I think 99% of us know what is the right thing in 99% of the cases. This is what our parents taught us. That does not mean we will do the right thing. In the current situation, regulators want to solve issues by creating new rules. I am happy that applying the rules with consequences, as with ING, is being done increasingly. I think the structural solution does not lie in more rules.
Hopefully we can all start a dialogue about what is right and act upon it. Customers and clients, family members, colleagues, countries, teachers and students. Not blindly following the rules, but following them because we understand and agree. I am aware that this sounds might sound soft and is not possible in all situations. With many of our clients we cooperate successfully based upon a few bullet points in an email. That’s the way I like it.
Will you share your thoughts?
Pieter de Kiewit
Owner Treasurer Search
15-06-2018 | Treasurer Search | TreasuryXL |
One of the many benefits of being a recruiter is that every meeting is a lecture of an expert about his professional life and developments. An excellent way to learn and keep up-to-date. Every second week I try to transfer this knowledge to my colleagues in Team Treasurer Search and the risk topic often gets attention. I also want to share my observations about insurance and treasury with you.
First, perhaps a bit cynical, why is corporate insurance reporting to the group treasurer more often? The importance and professional level of insurance is increasing, this is also acknowledged by CFOs. To prevent their span of control becoming too big, they delegate the profession to legal, procurement and recently often to treasury. Many treasurers are not motivated by insurance tasks and ignore the overlap that exists. Traditionally the risk types “market risk” and “liquidity risk” create primary tasks for treasury departments that often motivate the candidates I meet. Recently counterparty or credit risk gets a bigger role, not only with financial services companies. My recent conversations with corporate insurance managers brought me new insights in how risk can be analysed and managed.
In previous blogs I wrote that “new school treasurers” distinguish themselves by better connecting with their business partners and provide understandable solutions that make sales, operations and finance happy. Insurance managers were already forced to talk with the business their whole life. If an insurance manager does not understand what his business partners do, he will not be able to make a proper assessment of the risk. And that does include all types of risk: staff getting sick, goods not being supplied, tornados, computer viruses, politicians starting embargos, etcetera. They are closer to enterprise risk managers than treasurers are. By now there are practical and scientific strategies to mitigate various risk types. Insurance managers know.
In my perception treasurers can learn from insurance how to connect to business partners and help them finding solutions for complex and diverse problems. Do you think me setting them on a pedestal is right or am I too positive?
If you want to find out more about Treasurer Search and their services visit their company profile on treasuryXL.
Reach the treasury market in an easy way with treasuryXL. See how we can help you and download our Partner Program.
Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and receive your41 pages ‘easy-to-read’ eBook, What is Treasury?
