Since cash management is a core responsibility of treasurers everywhere, it is no surprise that the ACT Cash Management Conference continues to be one of the most highly regarded events in the industry. It is the largest conference of its kind in Europe, and this year it welcomed more than 200 delegates from around the world.
Attendees gathered at a central London venue in February for two days to debate the most pressing cash issues, learn from experts and network with their peers and exhibitors.
More than 40 experienced treasury practitioners shared their knowledge through case studies, panel discussions and workshops. Best practice was celebrated and innovations were explored.
On the topic of innovation, one of the strong themes that stood out for me at this conference was the power of technology as an enabler. The treasurers who addressed the conference repeatedly emphasised how technology had helped them to become more efficient, which then meant that they had more time to offer extra value to their businesses in terms of giving input to strategy or proposing new ideas. For this reason, it is vital that treasurers work with their banking partners to drive the technological agenda going forward.
Another familiar theme of the conference was that of regulation. Treasurers continue to be concerned by the side effects of regulatory change, for example, the impact of Basel III on the attractiveness of short-term deposits to banks. It was clear from the nature of the discussions that the banking community could do more to explain the impact of regulation on our customers.
Emerging markets can both excite and perplex treasurers. There is always plenty to consider when your company expands its operations into a territory that you are not familiar with – not least the new bank relationships that you need to form and the alien regulations and currency controls that you must negotiate. Unsurprisingly, then, the sessions on emerging markets attracted considerable interest from delegates.
This year’s conference provoked plenty of interesting and stimulating debate, as you will discover over the coming pages. The quality of the speakers was very high and they offered lots of insightful comment. I hope that you will enjoy reading this report and following the discussions that took place.
James Allan, Head of UK Cash Management, Barclays
Download the report here.
