Category

Technology

Libor SOFRTechnology
December 8, 2020

The Voyage to SOFR: TMS Headwinds for Some, Tailwinds for Others

Corporates weigh vendor readiness, the time and expense of updates and devise workarounds amid Libor transition.Corporate treasurers trying to prepare for the transition from Libor to new indices like SOFR and other alternative interest rates are assessing the readiness of their TMS vendors. Many need to decide whether to spend the time and money necessary to upgrade systems or rely on third parties or devise their own solutions instead. While a proposed extension for legacy Libor contracts may provide some…
Justin Jones
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FXRisk ManagementTechnology
December 8, 2020

An Early Warning System to Flag Excessive Counterparty Credit Risk

One corporate’s proactive approach to measuring and managing FX and other counterparty exposures.Using credit ratings from S&P, Moody’s and Fitch is one way corporates establish maximum credit limits with counterparties. But at a meeting of FX risk managers sponsored by Wells Fargo this fall, one company described some shortcomings of that “classic approach” and explained an alternate method that enables it to take action before exposures reach unacceptable levels.Proactive vs. reactive The company’s director of liquidity and investment management said…
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Capital MarketsTechnologyTreasury Management
December 8, 2020

Strengthening Treasury’s Capabilities by Developing Internal Talent

Key takeaways from the Treasurers’ Group of Thirty 2020 H2 meeting, sponsored by Standard Chartered.By Joseph NeuMove up the treasury learning curve. This group has a disproportionate number of treasurers who are new to their role. Several come from the tax side and a few were brought in to build or expand their company’s treasury capabilities. All are moving quickly up the learning curve and helping their bosses appreciate the importance of strategic treasury capabilities. Covid-19 has helped make their…
Justin Jones
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BankingTechnology
December 1, 2020

Corporates to Banks: Untangle Processes, Offer Simple Solutions

NeuGroup members want simple but powerful improvements to banking services.In a recent meeting of treasurers for high-growth companies, sponsored by Bank of the West BNP Paribas, representatives from the bank opened a session with a question: how can banks improve treasurers’ experience? While not directing their response to Bank of the West specifically but rather to banks generally, the answer, overwhelmingly, was clear: simplify the day-to-day experience. NeuGroup members outlined how banks can streamline basic authorization and documentation processes that…
Justin Jones
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COVID-19RegionalTechnology
December 1, 2020

China’s Digitalization, Quick Covid Recovery and Tension with the US

Key takeaways from the 2020 H2 Asia CFOs’ Peer Group meeting sponsored by Standard Chartered.By Joseph Neu2019 as the 2021 baseline. China has been the economy to bounce back soonest from Covid-19 and is up substantially in H2. Standard Chartered is forecasting 2020 GDP growth of +2.1% for China. Meanwhile, many of our member CFOs for greater China are hopeful that they will get back to flat for the year since some have had stellar Q3s and good Q4 outlooks,…
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Capital MarketsTechnology
November 19, 2020

Counterparty Transparency: ‘Looking Through’ Money Market Funds

How a treasury investment manager finds out what assets are owned by the MMFs he owns. For treasury investment managers, visibility into the credit and counterparty risks of their portfolios is essential, especially during times of heightened volatility and uncertainty—like the last nine months. One member of NeuGroup’s Treasury Investment Managers’ Peer Group 2 told peers at a recent meeting sponsored by DWS that part of his assessment of counterparty risk involves “looking through” money market funds (MMFs) to see their…
Justin Jones
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COVID-19Technology
November 12, 2020

Retailers Connect With Customers Using Touchless Payments

Smartphone apps, some using QR codes, give customers another way to pay without touching keypads or swiping a card. Members at a recent meeting of NeuGroup for Retail Treasury reported a significant drop in cash transactions since the start of the pandemic, and some are turning to what they’re calling touchless methods of payment to meet consumers’ needs. These innovations depend on using smartphone apps and the internet instead of so-called contactless payments including Apple Pay and Google Pay. Those require a device…
Justin Jones
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Talking ShopTechnologyUncategorized
November 12, 2020

Talking Shop: Making Interactive Dashboards With Power BI and SQL

Member 1: “I was encouraged to hear that others are using SQL (structured query language) + Power BI tools to automate reporting and develop interactive dashboards. We have been on a journey the last three years to do the same and would welcome a breakout discussion on best practices and forward looking vision for using these tools.”Member 2: “I’d be more than happy to share what we’ve developed and are working on! SQL is a great way to start in BI;…
Justin Jones
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Cash & Working CapitalTechnologyTreasury Management
November 10, 2020

Taking a Hard Look at Structure, Resources and Where to Rationalize

A cash manager with staff across the globe considers how technology may reshape and resize his team.  Strategically important goals are the new organizational focus for one NeuGroup member who leads a cash management team of nearly 50 people at a sprawling global company that has a new CEO. At a recent meeting, the member described the structure and responsibilities of his staff today and how rationalization and an increased focus on technology may change his use of resources in the future.…
Justin Jones
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Investment ManagementRisk ManagementTechnology
November 5, 2020

Data-Driven Decisions Aided by Dashboards and Scorecards

A NeuGroup member describes his money market fund dashboard and investment manager scorecards.Dynamic dashboards that help corporates leverage data to make better decisions are becoming essential tools for finance teams committed to tapping technology to transform. Some companies in the NeuGroup Network are generating envy by using in-house tech talent skilled in programs such as Python to create dashboards, while other members are turning to Power BI or Tableau to ramp up.But a recent meeting of treasury investment managers underscored that…
Justin Jones
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