Treasury Strategies has surveyed 450 corporate treasurers on their priorities for 2017. Cash flow forecasting and financial/FX risk management remain at the top of the treasury agenda for the third year running, as shown by the table below:

The report gave two reasons why forecasting and risk management remain key priorities, saying: “First, these issues are important and have a very direct and significant economic impact. Second, it’s difficult to get them right and keep them that way. To do so requires a process of ongoing improvement against a shifting business/economic climate.”

Focus shifts to structure and team-building

The survey also found that treasurers are tending to draw a line over the financial recession of the past decade and are now focusing increasingly on building the right team and organisation structure. The Treasury Strategies report says: “Optimizing the treasury group’s structure enables a treasurer to minimize financial risk, face off against other parts of the company and meet larger organizational objectives as efficiently as possible. A sound structure positions the team for long-term success.”

Benchmarking bank fees

Treasurers were also asked what benchmarks they would like to see and a benchmark for bank service fees ranked highest on the list, followed by a benchmark for financial/FX risk management and one for cash forecasting.