Articles
Treasurers and CFOs are bullish on the American economy in 2015, according to the 11th annual AFP Business Outlook Survey, released today by the Association for Financial Professionals.
12/09/2014
Treasurers and CFOs are bullish on the American economy in 2015, according to the 11th annual AFP Business Outlook Survey, released today by the Association for Financial Professionals.
12/09/2014
In an era of black swans and perfect storms, the financial planning and analysis (FP&A) function is changing. In order to serve its purpose, FP&A must be more strategic and influential than before—which may require abandoning the budget.
12/09/2014
One of the critical factors to a successful data intelligence program is the ability to define key objectives in how to use the information. Fully 28 percent of financial professionals say not having clear objectives is a major challenge facing their companies’ data intelligence programs.
12/08/2014
It’s easy to tell treasurers that they have to get in front of a CFO and demonstrate their value. But how should they prepare for this? And, how do they get executives with a minimal knowledge of what treasury does to take the time to listen to what they have to say?
12/08/2014
Jason Balogh, EPM Transformation Principal at The Hackett Group, points out the three most important issues FP&A professionals will face next year.
12/05/2014
Most of the data breach lawsuit claims against Target will proceed to trial, thanks to a ruling by a federal judge. The decision has heavy implications for retail treasurers, especially with the EMV liability shift less than a year away.
12/05/2014
The issuers of products that money market funds (MMFs) typically purchase will feel the impact of the new MMF regulations by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) nearly as much as the funds themselves. Treasury will need to change its mindset.
12/04/2014
What does a successful data intelligence program look like, and how do you measure it? In the latest issue of FP&A newsletter, new research provides insights on these and other data intelligence issues.
12/04/2014
In today’s competitive job market, financial professionals need to remember three key things when seeking a new position: you can’t rest on your laurels, you have to prove that you’re a problem-solver, and you need to show that your contributions have made an impact.
12/03/2014
It's difficult for treasury and finance executives to decide which mobile payment format to support in 2015, let alone a decade from now. But during a discussion at the 2014 AFP Annual Conference last month, panelists tried to do just that.
12/03/2014
AFP's new Chairman of the Board, Anthony Scaglione, CTP, of ABM Industries Inc., provides key tips for treasurers struggling with rapidly evolving payments technology and the threat of escalating cyberthreats.
12/02/2014
As the year comes to a close, AFP takes a look back and the most significant payments events and trends in 2014 and provides key tips for treasury and finance professionals heading into the new year.
12/02/2014
The results of the recent AFP Data Intelligence Survey suggest that finance should own the data intelligence function.
12/01/2014
While Asia offers some of the greatest opportunities for FP&A professionals, it is highly frowned upon to question 'Why?'. The reality is that a large part of financial planning and analysis (FP&A) is premised on the ability to ask 'Why?'.
12/01/2014
Frank Crema, vice president and treasurer for Vancouver, British Columbia-based Goldcorp Inc., has worked in every aspect of treasury throughout his career. He identified three critical factors that make a good leader.
11/26/2014
Integrating an acquisition or merger presents a complex challenge for the treasury organization. It is therefore imperative that treasury has a clear plan as to how it wants to integrate a new company, as well as a solid understanding of the complexities that may arise during integration.
11/26/2014
Traditional performance management struggles mightily in today’s business environment, where treasury and finance executives are exposed to increasing doses of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. It raises the question of whether performance really can, or should be, managed at all.
11/25/2014
A year ago, hackers infiltrated the point-of-sale systems at Target, resulting in the theft of more than 40 million credit and debit card numbers. As the holiday shopping season begins, here are four key strategies retail treasurers can employ to avoid becoming fraudsters' next "Target."
11/25/2014
Though it is becoming commonplace to refer to financial planning and analysis as FP&A, this is actually an American term, and one that is still not widely used outside of the US. FP&A goes by many different names in the UK, Europe and the Middle East.
11/24/2014
This month, Futures in Finance brings you our 2014 AFP Annual Conference roundup, including coverage of a CTC Executive Institute session on improving communication between the treasury and the CFO, and the FP&A Roundtable.
11/21/2014
Juan Arangote, FP&A, CPA, CMA, manager of treasury and financial planning for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, answers two important questions that came up following his session of financial modeling and the 2014 AFP Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.
11/21/2014
This month, AFP Payments bring you its exclusive coverage of payments at the 2014 AFP Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., including the 2014 AFP Pinnacle Award Grand Prize Winner, the results of an onsite survey on cybersecurity, sessions on bitcoin and mobile payments, and more.
11/20/2014
Brian Kalish, director of AFP's FP&A practice, recently traveled to Southeast Asia, where practitioners stressed the need for better tools and talent in FP&A. Kalish also shared the advances AFP has made on the Corporate FP&A Professional Certification.
11/20/2014
Who makes a good reference? References are influencers, so it is critically important that you choose them wisely, understand their power, and ensure they are on-point in messaging your value.
11/20/2014
Companies are spending less on their finance departments than at any time since the recession, according to a new study. This has profound implications on FP&A groups as well.
11/19/2014
In a new CTC perspective piece, AFP recaps a recent Treasury Advisory Group (TAG) discussion on how money market fund reform will likely affect their industries and operations.
11/18/2014
Both retailers and banks are pushing for legislative action this year to stem the threat of data breaches, and each one is pointing the finger at the other over who should bear the brunt of the liability costs.
11/18/2014
The stock market hit higher highs and the oil market touched lower lows during a rather drama-free week. The U.S. Treasury market was quite subdued as reasonable economic growth combined with low expected inflation kept everyone optimistic.
11/17/2014
When using graphics to create management reporting dashboards, FP&A professionals must tailor the images to their audience. How that’s done depends on the objective of the message.
11/17/2014
What is FP&A’s role? That was perhaps the key question participants pondered at a FP&A roundtable held at the recent AFP Annual Conference.
11/17/2014
For American businesses that sell to the growing Mexican middle class, or that site manufacturing plants in Mexico, the growing business partnership between Mexico and China has profound strategic implications.
11/14/2014
New liquidity coverage ratio requirements from Basel III have the potential to transform corporate borrowing—and many global treasurers are already trying to adapt.
11/14/2014
Treasury and finance professionals have heard for years that mobile payments are the next big thing, and they’re going to change the way everyone makes payments. So what's the holdup? A panel of experts at the 2014 AFP Annual Conference attempted to answer that question.
11/13/2014
In the November issue of Risk, new research on cybercrime is here -- and the results are sobering. The big takeaway: firms are still trying to cope with cybersecurity in its many forms.
11/13/2014
According to a new survey from KPMG and AFP, firms today are spending a significant amount of time and resources to enhance their risk governance practices, especially in areas involving treasury such as liquidity and funding.
11/12/2014
Gen. Keith B. Alexander, former Director of the NSA, delivered a chilling message to attendees of the 2014 AFP Annual Conference about cybersecurity: the worst is yet to come. Fortunately, he also provided them with some tips on protecting their data.
11/11/2014
More companies are spinning off parts of their organizations into standalone companies, according to a new survey. For treasury departments that means an increased—and increasingly complex—workload.
11/11/2014
Jim Harper of the Bitcoin Foundation told attendees at the 2014 AFP Annual Conference that that the ideal outcome for virtual currencies would be to integrate them into traditional financial services. But the New York Department of Financial Services' proposed BitLicenses could complicate efforts to legitimize virtual currencies.
11/10/2014
The Treasury market is basically unchanged; the stock market is at all-time highs; the U.S. dollar continued to strengthen; and the deficit, as a function of GDP, dropped to 2.8 percent. There is a general feeling that the U.S. economy is currently expanding in the elusive, but much sought after “Goldilocks” range.
11/10/2014
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