BNP Paribas, EACT, PwC and SAP join forces to help corporate treasurers design their own journey to treasury

Paris – BNP Paribas, the European Association of Corporate Treasurers (EACT), PwC and SAP are launching ‘Journeys to Treasury’ (JTT), a cutting-edge report also available on line that is designed to help professional treasurers build their own journey to the future of treasury.

The first edition of JTT addresses three key topics for corporate treasurers: continued innovation; ‘anytime, anywhere treasury’; and cybercrime and fraud. Diving deeper into the report, game changers like blockchain, fintechs, immediate payments and big data will bring together the joint insights of the bank, the industry association, the consultant and the software vendor.

Presented for the first time at EuroFinance Vienna 2016 on 13th October, JTT is a collaborative, multi-faceted initiative that will be conducted on a yearly basis. Building on the strength of the four-partner alliance, it is aimed at corporate treasurers and financial decision makers, and its objective is to provide expert insights into the world of corporate financial strategy and treasury.

Four senior executives are behind the initiative: Jean-François Denis, deputy head of cash management for BNP Paribas, Jean-Marc Servat, chairman of the EACT, Damien McMahon, senior partner at PwC and Christian Mnich, senior director treasury and risk management at SAP. “Virtually every article in the press says blockchain, fintech, big data. JTT aims to distinguish the myth from reality and provides a 360° view that is not the usual consensus, but something thought provoking,” explains Damien McMahon from PwC.

Journeys to Treasury bases itself upon the understanding and knowledge of today’s treasury challenges as well as the ability to anticipate the impact of transforming trends. What makes it truly different is first of all an unprecedented partnership based on trust, as EACT chairman Jean-Marc Servat comments: “The four partners have a long-standing relationship, there is a lot of mutual respect and we see Journeys to Treasury as a long-term collaborative initiative”.

Additionally, JTT’s content is everything but the usual mainstream messages around the fundamentals of treasury and the game changers of the moment. JTT content is based on ongoing conversations between experts from different horizons on topics that have been identified as priorities by corporate treasurers; some are current and ongoing challenges (like cyberthreat and fraud), while others are perceived as key disruptors (like artificial intelligence). In between, there are also industry initiatives that are reshaping the environment, like eBAM.

In the words of Jean-François Denis, deputy head of cash management for BNP Paribas: “Journeys to Treasury is not a traditional report, but more like the minutes of a dialogue between experts from different industries with complementary viewpoints on treasury”. Adds Christian Mnich, senior director treasury and risk management at SAP “JTT is a unique kind of whitepaper that aims to provide an end-to-end view of what is going on in treasury”.

While discussing how fintech players contribute to innovation and how a collaborative approach with banks and corporates is the key to success, the report imagines the potential of blockchain not only within the financial sphere, but also beyond, such as for smart contracts, for example. JTT also addresses the role of big data in forecasting and payments, and provides corporate examples of how it is currently used. Also focusing on 24/7 and mobile treasury, JTT sheds light on real-time payments and analyses the true benefits they bring to corporates, while addressing industry-driven initiatives such as SWIFT gpi within the ‘anytime, anywhere treasury’ section.

Finally, JTT discusses the present and future of a major and shared concern for corporates: cybercrime and fraud. In the face of ever more sophisticated cyberattacks, companies are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that it is not if they will be attacked, but when. As instant and mobile payments increase the risk, Journeys to Treasury wonders if technology alone has the power to curb future threats.

Find out more via the Journeys to Treasury website.