Interview | 8 questions for Konstantin Khorev, Seasoned Treasury Professional
01-11-2022 | treasuryXL | Konstantin Khorev | LinkedIn |
Meet our newest expert for the treasuryXL community, Konstantin Khorev.
Konstantin has 18+ years of experience in corporate treasury, gained in various environments: from public companies with +100BUSD turnover, to PE and privately owned companies, as well as at a prominent treasury consulting firm.
Being exposed to a wide range of different challenges and projects, Konstantin has built a strong expertise in the full spectrum of treasury and risk activities and in cross-functional collaboration and treasury partnership with business operations, tax, accounting, audit, and internal control.
Konstantin holds a Ph.D. degree in financial mathematics and is a CFA charter holder since 2009.
We asked Konstantin 8 questions, let’s go!
INTERVIEW
1. How did your treasury journey start?
In 2005 I changed my career path from investment management to corporate finance with a leading oil major. Couple of years later, being already a professional with several years of experience in related areas, I decided to join the treasury department within the same company. I made my decision mainly because of a great team and a lot of challenging projects there – we basically were requested to bring best practices into treasury function in multinational corporation with +100BUSD turnover. The first project was setting up an international multicurrency cash pool structure.
2. What do you like about working in Treasury?
Cross-functional collaboration (business, accounting, FP&A, tax), possibility to implement projects that make structural changes, e.g. in how company manages cash and financial risks, make payments, automate processes, etc.
3. What is your Treasury Expertise and what expertise gives you a boost of energy?
Change and project management, setting up a function from scratch or bringing best treasury practices, with special personal interest in the area of automation and data analysis. Having my first background in mathematics and computer science I also like to develop my own IT solutions (python, VBA, SAP scripting) that can solve certain automation or data problems and thus bridge a gap between client’s needs and available market solutions. Observing the professional growth of team members, I am coaching or used to coach is also a big source of excitement to me.
4. What has been your best experience in your treasury career until today?
I would say I can not highlight one single project. I enjoy and I am proud of every moment when I see the change realized, or cost-reduction/value-added created.
5. What has been your biggest challenge in treasury?
Setting up supply chain financing in a country where our team and company have been among pioneers implementing the product. Apart from tax, legal, accounting challenges related to the jurisdiction, as well as bank negotiation it required a lot of effort to explain the benefits and persuade all the stakeholders (from CFO to supply managers and suppliers). The ultimate result was more than rewarding: win-win solution both for the company decreasing working capital needs by 50% and for the suppliers getting access to much cheaper (and sometimes even unavailable at all) bank financing.
6. What’s the most important lesson that you’ve learned as a treasurer?
Invest time explaining what treasury is about and why certain things are crucial for internal counterparties.
7. How have you seen the role of Corporate Treasury evolve over the years?
Playing bigger and bigger role as a business partner to other functions. Embedding more opportunities that are provided by IT solutions.
8. What developments do you expect in corporate treasury in the near and further future?
Automation and machine learning to play more role in daily and later strategical treasury operations. Distributed Ledger Technology (blockchain is an example) still to show its full potential. Fintech companies substituting banks in more areas and having bigger market size.
Want to connect with Konstantin? Click here
Thanks for reading!
Kendra Keydeniers
Director Community & Partners, treasuryXL
