The right connections (TT JanFeb06 p18-19)

At the beginning of 2000, Carphone Warehouse was a private company which had been growing organically and rapidly for a decade without the need for dedicated internal audit or tax functions – or a treasury department.

It has now been listed on the London Stock Exchange for five years, requiring the introduction of all the above, and diversified both geographically and into new sectors. In tandem with this public growth story, the company has implemented an integrated treasury operation, along with mature banking and lending relationships.