Does Brexit matter to me?

It’s not just a UK issue – treasurers everywhere need to be prepared for the ripples reaching their shores…

For those organisations beyond the UK, it may be tempting to assume that Brexit is ‘just’ a local issue for the British and that it will have no impact on their own activities. But even in these early days, before any actual negotiations have got underway, this may not be an accurate assessment.

If your organisation has any interaction with the UK (however indirect), it would be worthwhile considering what Brexit may mean for you.

For example, do you have customers or suppliers in the UK? This includes banks and other finance suppliers whose business models and even lines of business may alter as a result of Brexit.

The ACT has a number of materials on its dedicated Brexit page. Some of the materials may appear specifically targeted at UK business, but many others are relevant for non UK organisations. Examples include:

• Brexit – "T plus 7" survey asked what most concerned treasurers. FX volatility, increased counterparty risk and access to funding topped the list, and all are challenges irrespective of geographic location.
• Brexit 2016 - a post-referendum checklist for treasurers is an invaluable aide memoire for any treasurer as they look to navigate the uncertain market conditions facing many economies, and not just as a result of the UK referendum.
• The ACT also has events scheduled over the next couple of months to cover many of these subjects, and in recognition of the international reach of the ACT, a number of these will be webinars that you can listen to at your convenience.

Treasurers are problem solvers and hold a pretty unique position in the organisation by having a detailed understanding of the external environment and how that might impact on the organisation. It is their role to ensure that the possible impact of external events, particularly in the financial markets (be they Brexit driven, or not) are identified and, as far as possible, benefited from by the organisation as a whole.

[su_box title="Check out" box_color="#51284f" title_color="#ffffff" radius="1"]The ACT's dedicated Brexit page to help you think about the potential consequences of Brexit to your business.

Our events and webinars are also available to keep you up to date in person and online.[/su_box]