In the aftermath of the financial crisis, corporate treasury teams were thrust into the spotlight when businesses prioritised cashflow as banks’ appetites to lend waned. Since 2008, the role of the corporate treasurer has evolved from that of a diligent back-office function, to increasingly become more of a strategic advisor to the board. Today’s corporate treasurers have a much broader remit and the subsequent onslaught of regulations such as Basel III, Dodd Frank, MiFID II and the International Accounting Standards have ensured that the treasurer now plays a critical role in ensuring the survival, and success, of businesses.

To sustain this advisory relationship with senior stakeholders and further develop as a strategic lead in the global competitive business landscape, corporate treasurers must understand the vital skills and relevant experiences that will not only help propel their careers but differentiate them from others in the market.

In this ground-breaking research report The Treasurer’s Toolkit, Refinitiv has identified key trends in how corporate demands have shaped the skillsets, desired experience and typical profiles of the modern corporate treasurer. Our research incorporated the views of 250 CFOs, heads of finance and recruitment professionals, across five continents in businesses varying in size, from fewer than 100 employees to more than 5,000. In this report we take a deeper dive into the research, to unpack the DNA of the successful treasurer, now and in the future.