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Articles on gtnews
Deborah Bennett, Citi - 9 May 2013
Supply chain finance (SCF) offers benefits for both buying companies and suppliers. However, this article suggests that to ensure its success it is essential for companies establishing a SCF programme to follow some simple rules.
Jonathan Jordan, Citi - 15 Apr 2013
Against the backdrop of on-going economic uncertainty, organisations are increasingly looking to their shared service centres (SSCs) to deliver additional value. This article looks at how SSCs are expanding their scope and objectives, while considering the key enablers and challenges to change.
Camille Liao, Citi - Hugo Parry-Wingfield, Citi - 5 Apr 2013
China’s currency, the renminbi (RMB), is becoming internationalised, creating huge opportunities for multinational corporations (MNCs) that do business in the country. Treasurers can increasingly use RMB in trade finance and in other processes as the liberalisation of the currency continues, and this on-going process should be examined carefully. This article looks at RMB internationalisation, the challenges that remain and how they can be overcome.
Merisa Lee Gimpel, Citi - 19 Mar 2013
Many organisations view payroll as sensitive and complicated, and are reluctant to reengineer related processes, adopting the attitude of ‘if it’s not broken, why fix it?’ for fear of causing disruption. Consequently, payroll operating models for multinational corporations (MNCs) are often fragmented and difficult to scale internationally, or even sometimes within domestic or regional markets. This article looks at why treasurers should take the risk.
Bruin van der Sar, Citi - 23 Jan 2013
With advanced infrastructure, a skilled workforce, robust financial system, stable economy, and competitive tax regime, the Netherlands can meet the needs of any international company or treasury shared service centre (SSC). This article examines the practicalities of setting up in the country and provides a case study from LGC Electronics. To access the attractions of the Netherlands successfully it is important for corporates and their treasury teams to work with a trusted adviser that combines local knowledge with international capabilities.
Yuri Avramenko, Citi - Emre Karter, Citi - 12 Dec 2012
Understanding the forces driving change in the way that treasury works in Russia and in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) offers opportunities. Leading companies there want to adopt new ways of working in order to lower costs, improve visibility and control, enhance risk management and achieve gains in efficiency.
Karin Flinspach, Citi - Anupam Sinha, Citi - 5 Dec 2012
At the heart of the single euro payments area (SEPA) is the removal of barriers and requirements that previously restricted how euro payments and collections - and hence liquidity management - were conducted. With harmonised legislation and payment schemes, SEPA now provides organisations with flexibility to operate their cash management activities irrespective of the location of their counterparts, standardise their processes and rationalise their activities. While some barriers remain to complete portability of account location, SEPA can facilitate streamlined cash management and more efficient treasury processes.
Adolfo Tunon, Citi - Femi Rowaiye, Citi - 9 Oct 2012
Emerging market corporates (EMCs) continue to expand to countries beyond their home markets, but many EMCs may overlook the obstacles encountered when implementing a global cash management solution. This article examines the potential pitfalls and how these can be addressed through a global banking services provider.
Christopher Chazin, Citi - 18 Sep 2012
Purchasing cards (p-cards) usage is growing solidly year-on-year, as multinational corporations (MNCs) begin to understand the role they can play in achieving greater cost reductions and efficiencies across their supply chains.
Mathew Kathayanat, Citi - Jesse Kwon, Citi - 6 Aug 2012
In just one year, the internationalisation of the renminbi (RMB) has seen a thriving market in offshore RMB deposits, bonds and bond funds develop in Hong Kong, while the currency’s role in cross-border trade has expanded sharply. Now London is picking up the baton and more is expected in the coming year.
Marcelo Habibe, Vale - Peter Langshaw, Citi - 15 Jun 2012
gtnews interviews Vale and Citi to determine the lessons that can be learned from transforming Vale´s treasury to best-in-class globally and how this may help other emerging market companies going global.
Ruth Wandhöfer, Citi - Michael Steinbach, Equens - Matthias Haberkorn, Equens - 14 Jun 2012
Originally published in EPC Newsletter
This article argues that the domestic specifications of the single euro payments area (SEPA) data formats risk preventing market harmonisation.
Declan McGivern, Citi - Anupam Sinha, Citi - 22 May 2012
Over the past 15 years, corporate treasurers have been on a quest seeking improved working capital management and operational efficiency and more recently increased co-operation with wider organisational process management. With the possibilities afforded by global enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, treasurers are increasingly influencing supplier management and advising procurement departments on corporate-wide mechanisms to discharge liabilities more efficiently in order to gain liquidity management, risk and process efficiencies. Today, through the establishment of payment-on-behalf-of (POBO) structures, treasurers are seeking the next level of corporate-wide treasury efficiency.
Jonathan Jordan, Citi - 15 May 2012
The term payment factory is becoming increasingly talked about in the drive to achieve payment processing efficiency. This article examines the route to setting up a payments factory and highlights how, despite having one goal and philosophy, payment factories can take on many forms.
Geoffrey Gursel, Citi - 1 May 2012
From shared service centres (SSCs) to XML to mobile payments, Africa is booming for the corporate sector. With one billion people, six of the world's 10 fastest-growing countries in the past decade, an impressive five-year GDP growth, and the significant emergence of the middle-class consumer, 2011 saw an explosion of corporate interest with changes in cash and treasury strategies never thought possible.
Nick Powell, Citi - Hugo Parry-Wingfield, Citi - 24 Apr 2012
Effective liquidity management structures are a critical tool for treasurers, enabling visibility over multi-region cash flows and balances, automated concentration of cash positions, and more efficient management of debt and risk.
Steven Elms, Citi - John Mousseau, Citi - 17 Apr 2012
Companies in the consumer and healthcare sectors are facing continuing macro-economic challenges and market changes. These drivers are causing treasurers to evaluate partnerships, review structures, leverage internal investments and look for ways of improving their working capital.
David Aldred, Citi - 10 Apr 2012
Infrastructure spending is set to increase substantially over the coming decades with urbanisation acting as a key driving factor. Who will carry out all this work and how will it be funded?
Mark Tweedie, Citi - 27 Mar 2012
Forward-thinking global finance companies looking to make their mark in the technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) sector are partnering with companies in this fast growing industry to advance the next generation of professional and consumer service models. In particular, treasury teams and their banks have come together to further the cloud computing and software-as-a-service (SaaS) agenda.
Frank Gastl, Hanse Orga International - Basak Toprak, Citi - 16 Mar 2012
Many corporates have significant potential to improve their cash application processes through an efficient, integrated reconciliation solution, reaping more benefits from their existing shared service centre (SSC) set-up.
Olivier Chasseau, Vivendi - Mark Sutton, Citi - 6 Mar 2012
While there have been many articles covering both the theory and perceived benefits of ISO 20022 XML messaging (XML), this article seeks to provide a more practical outlook around the path to adoption. For some customers, the adoption of this latest global messaging standard has unfortunately failed to deliver the real benefits around simplification through standardisation. This article focuses on the specific experience and current status of the Universal Music Group (UMG) Global Banking Communication project.
Mark Mixter, GXS - Rene Schuurman, Citi - 1 Mar 2012
The rapidly changing treasury technology market has created a range of integration options for corporate treasurers to leverage. Corporates should leverage the potential of both cloud computing service providers and the expertise of your financial service partners.
Robert Buckland, Citi - 1 Mar 2012
Looking out into 2012, this article examines the top investment themes for this year. Will the euro stay intact? Will global corporate earnings and cash flow continue to grow at a solid rate?
Ruth Wandhöfer, Citi - 6 Feb 2012
This article will examine the single euro payments area (SEPA) end date regulation - in terms of the different requirements, timeline and the current state of play around taking on the challenges that will follow in the coming months and years.
David Aldred, Citi - Guido Musso, Citi - Alex Taylor, Citi - 17 Nov 2011
The shipping industry has seen significant changes in recent years with regards to the availability of financing. This article explores how treasury processes can be more efficient and how working capital can be managed more effectively.
Faraz Haider, Citi - 1 Nov 2011
The Arab Spring has brought conflicting pressures to the financing of trade flows across the Middle East and north Africa (MENA). Banks cut back on services, but companies are in need of the extra financial security brought by trade instruments, such as letters of credit (L/Cs). Basel III's capital allocation rules and global financial tremors are adding pressure to the system, so what is the future for trade financing in the MENA region?
Michael Botek, Citi - Joseph Mauro, Citi - 21 Sep 2011
This article, which focuses on how organisations can make the most of their liquidity, is part of a series of articles focusing on the key contributors to best practices in treasury management: insight, flexibility and results.
Matthew Frohling, Citi - 26 Aug 2011
In the end, the key lesson from many buyers is that just because their suppliers aren't asking for financing doesn't mean they don't need it or won't find it useful.
Raymond Hsiung, Citi - Mayank Mishra, Citi - 25 Aug 2011
What are the potential hidden costs of enterprise resource planning (ERP) system integration and the impact a banking interface can have on a company's processes? How can a bank partner identify the pitfalls hidden within various approaches?
Colin Jones, Citi - 15 Aug 2011
This article focuses on visibility. It's not a new topic, but it is even more relevant today than it has ever been. The visibility of cash on its own is a small, essential step in the overall journey to design and implement solutions that cover the full end-to-end treasury process.
Steve Donovan, Citi - Sanjay Sethi, Citi - Farouk Soussa, Citi - 4 Aug 2011
To be successful in a crisis, a bank must open up as many communication channels as possible, in order to get a true picture of a corporate client's requirements.
Geoffrey Gursel, Citi - Hsiang-wei Hsu, Citi - 7 Jul 2011
Mobile payments are expected to prove a major catalyst in Africa's economic development, delivering quick, convenient and secure transaction services, particularly to those in the lowest income strata who have little or no access to formal financial services.
Sanjeev Chatrath, Citi - 16 Jun 2011
Corporates around the globe regard Asia as the key engine for their future growth. The region is rapidly growing in stature as a consumer centre, business leader and an innovator in everything from finance to technology.
Michael Murtha, Citi - Michael Vallance, Citi - 9 Jun 2011
History is dotted with examples of financial upheavals within autocracies, emerging democracies and established democracies alike. This article examines past events and lessons learned that can minimise the potential risks linked to making payments in volatile markets.
Phil Hong, Citi - Mark Sutton, Citi - 2 Jun 2011
The adoption of ISO 20022 XML is more than simply introducing yet another file format. It is an opportunity to establish a low-cost, low-maintenance strategic messaging foundation, which facilitates the associated improvements in the underlying operational processes.
Dianne Challenor, Citi - 12 May 2011
How can women working in treasury and finance in Asia enhance their prospects of rising to senior leadership positions and receiving a fair salary?
Cindy Gerhard, Citi - Joseph Mauro, Citi - 26 Apr 2011
This article is the first in a three-part series that looks at key elements of best practices in treasury management: insight, flexibility and results.
Filippo Sabatini, Citi - Tomasz Smilowicz, Citi - 17 Mar 2011
Mobile payments have taken off in Africa, helping more Africans to become financially empowered.
Elena Cengher, Citi - 22 Feb 2011
Efficient accounts receivable (A/R) and cash application functions are key to the financial health of companies, and have the potential to considerably influence a company's overall financial performance.
Femi Rowaiye, Citi - 30 Nov 2010
This article looks at best practices when implementing a global cash management banking project, illustrated by a case study of Alcon's successful shared services project.
Stephen Chan, Citi - 18 Nov 2010
Companies globally are seeking to achieve visibility and control over their cash, to reduce external borrowings, conserve credit lines for strategic activities as opposed to working capital, and maximise returns. In many countries, regulatory challenges, fragmented bank relationships and multiple accounts can make these objectives difficult to achieve.
Ruth Wandhöfer, Citi - 14 Sep 2010
Has the implementation of the Payment Services Directive (PSD) gone smoothly? Are we now heading rapidly towards the single euro payments area (SEPA) or back to national trenches? Will centralisation of payables and receivables under common standards become the new reality, or are we looking at prolonged co-existence of domestic formats and SEPA schemes?
Mark Beard, Citi - Karin Flinspach, Citi - 31 Aug 2010
Good cash flow management can drive corporate financial performance. By taking a strategic approach to cash, liquidity and working capital, treasurers can directly influence the amount of cash available to enhance their company's competitive position.
Hsiang-wei Hsu, Citi - Ireti Ogbu, Citi - 3 Aug 2010
East African countries are leading the charge in terms of uptake of person-to-person (P2P) mobile money transfers. Corporates and the public sector can also benefit as mobile money initiatives help them interact with a largely unbanked population.
Arunav Das, Citi - 18 May 2010
Consolidation, standardisation, automation and improved regulatory reporting have been at the heart of all business cases for a shared services centre (SSCs) implementation. This article, based on a recent research paper, examines competitive advantages of accounts payable (A/P) SSCs and proposes 10 options to increase the benefits for corporates that have already implemented an A/P SSC.
Hugo Parry-Wingfield, Citi - Basak Toprak, Citi - 10 May 2010
Centralised treasury structures provide a host of benefits. By combining a strategic vision of how to evolve the structure, along with banking partners who can provide globally consistent platforms, these benefits needn't be difficult to achieve.
Merisa Lee Gimpel, Citi - 9 Feb 2010
Globalisation is a phenomenon most treasurers want to leverage to bring their organisation to the next level of success. This article examines the global payments solutions and best practices to provide the infrastructure to support the myriad of cross-border and cross-currency flows required by multi- and transnational corporates that have a worldwide footprint of vendors, employees, customers and shareholders.
Naveed Sultan, Citi - 21 Jan 2010
In turbulent times, innovation may not always be a natural choice. But as countries continue to struggle with the economic downturn, transaction banks continue to support their clients, with both existing and new solutions.
Ron Chakravarti, Citi - Declan McGivern, Citi - 13 Jan 2010
Too often, companies defer having their treasury policies, practices and programmes undergo a comprehensive check-up. What's holding them back?
Philippe Jaccard, Citi - 12 Jan 2010
This article challenges the commonly-held perception of Asia as a location where extracting liquidity and achieving respectable risk-adjusted returns is impossible.
Mark Tweedie, Citi - 6 Jan 2010
This article looks at the ways treasurers of media companies are increasingly working with their banks to counteract falls in advertising revenue and capitalise on innovation.
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