Risk Management
Published  7 MIN READ
Please note: this article is over 10 years old. If you feel this article is inaccurate or contains errors get in touch here . Many thanks, TMI

Innovation and Precision in Managing International Project Risks

by Bert van der Donk, Treasury & Risk Manager, NEM Energy B.V.

LogosAs a global engineering firm operating in many of the world’s most dynamic but also some of the most volatile regions of the world, NEM Energy B.V., part of the Siemens Group, has to apply its combination of innovation and precision that characterises its product suite and approach to project delivery to its treasury management activities. Managing risk is a particular challenge, which has to be assessed and managed at an individual project level. In this article, Bert van der Donk, Treasury & Risk Manager discusses how NEM uses trade instruments in combination with other approaches to help manage collections risk that derives from both individual customer credit risk and wider political risks.

Treasury background

NEM is a global business, and although the number of customers with which we work is limited due the specialist nature of our activities, these are located in all parts of the world. Similarly, we work with suppliers and subcontractors globally. Like most engineering companies, the majority of our treasury activities relate to individual projects. We manage each one independently, which includes financing, risk management and cash management. Each project has its own cash flow profile, with different timings of cash inflows and outflows according to the project, but each project should be cash-neutral when considered on an aggregate basis. In general, projects do not need to be financed externally, as projects that have a negative cash position can typically be financed through surpluses in other projects. In addition, as part of the Siemens group, liquidity is centralised on a group basis, which enables further access to internal financing if required. As a result, cash management is relatively straightforward.