With a small team working on The Treasurer, we need to plan well ahead, especially if we are to give our much-valued contributors a decent amount of time to put together their articles. The committee plans the themes well in advance and the theme editors usually pick the topics to two to two-and-a-half months in advance. We then hope to give the authors four to six weeks to write the article. That is the theory at least but the timings can get very squeezed.
It is hard to believe, but it is already time to start thinking about The Treasurer’s ‘Deals of the Year’ feature in December. In case you missed it the last two years, we try to identify the ‘best’ eight deals done during the period 1 October to 30 September. We are not after the biggest or the one with the most press coverage – we look for the deals which have shown the best treasury management, showing innovative structure, efficient pricing and success (and success can be relative, ie making the best of a difficult job!). Although we really start the ball rolling in September, I am always pleased to hear from readers about deals which they feel merit attention – but marketing departments please remember, biggest does not mean best!
Judging by this month’s Spotlight on Securitisation, I would anticipate a number of such deals to be in the running for at least one of the Deals of the Year slots. We have a number of interesting case studies, from utilities financing to using music rights. But, as Mark Daley points out on page 39, be on the lookout for the pitfalls. As they would say on the BBC, other sources of funding are available.
Another publication for which we have to plan well ahead is the 2002 edition of The Treasurer’s Handbook. It is a major project to organise, commission, edit and produce and the process starts this month. It is an important tool for members and I would like to hear from members and other readers about what they think of it and how we can improve it. Is it useful? Are we missing something? How helpful is the Treasury Services Directory – did you know it is also available online?
Please, don’t be shy. Help the man with a plan.
MIKE HENIGAN
