Meeting the Challenges

by Charles Buchanan, Chairman, ACTSA

Despite the challenges facing the financial sector, ACTSA, with its dynamic membership has been active in sustaining a high degree of participation in its activities. We at ACTSA continue to strive for the advancement of those in the treasury profession and to enhance the role of treasury and its allied financial services within an organization.

One of the most influential tools is peer networking within a profession. We have provided a wide variety of forums helping participants to learn more about the issues facing treasurers and those in related financial markets.

The activities hosted during the past year include:

Breakfast presentations on:

• Understanding the ISDA agreement

• Can SA survive the economic crisis?

• IFRS7 - Financial Instrument disclosures

• Heart to heart panel discussion with the rating agencies – Moody’s, Fitch  and  Standard & Poor’s

• The complexities of hedge accounting

• A Conference on the ‘new normal’ for bond issuers with the Debt Issuers Association (DIA) , co-hosting the Moody’s Conference and endorsing the EuroFinance conference.

Workshops on the basic principles of Forex and money markets
In March 2009 we co-marketed for the first time the ACT(UK) six-month certificate course – the Certificate in International Treasury Management (CertITM), to which we had a very good response.

Although education by definition encompasses the transferring of accumulated knowledge, we believe that in treasury operations, it is imperative that we include a process of acquiring skill. It is with this in mind that we continue to offer short training courses in the basics and it is our intention to expand this to more advanced levels.

The social networking events such as our Gala Dinner and Golf Days continue to appeal, attracting ‘full to capacity’ attendances.

We continue to have a presence in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Western Cape.

Challenges

• To continue to create a new level of understanding of treasury to ensure relevant awareness in an ever changing market place

• To enhance the professionalism of market practitioners

• To identify opportunities of enhancing skills in treasury

• To develop a clearer understanding and career path for those interested in treasury

• To continue to build our membership base while sustaining a robust financial base

 
The economic future depends on a steady improvement in treasury skills.

In the light of what we have achieved to date and the focus of the ACTSA team  on the challenges that lie ahead, I feel confident about sustaining and developing the appeal of our organisation and I look forward to seeing current and future ACTSA members harvest the fruit from the work of all.