AFP Conversations

In this special episode of AFP Conversations, best-selling author and journalist Eric Weiner joins AFP President and CEO Jim Kaitz speaks with to discuss his latest book, "The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers." Kaitz and Weiner attempt to gauge how some of the greatest philosophers throughout history would approach the challenges of today. Although we currently fa...

This episode of AFP Conversations explores the insights covered in the 2020 AFP Asia-Pacific (APAC) Treasury Management Handbook, sponsored by Kyriba. Released by AFP in collaboration with China National Association of Finance Companies, the Association of Corporate Treasurers Singapore, and the Japan Association for Chief Financial Officers, the handbook provides an overview of the elements of tr...

In this episode of AFP Conversations, financial influencer, speaker, author and podcast host, Sheri Fitts of ShoeFitts Marketing will be discussing personal branding. With more than 25 years in the financial services industry, she is an expert in leveraging marketing, branding and a fine-tuned digital strategy to help financial professionals attract the right clients, increase revenue, retain rela...

This episode of AFP Conversations focuses on how financial professionals manage change, which is something they've had to do a lot of lately. With entire workforces operating remotely, there's never been a better time to adopt a new mindset. And there's no one better to help you develop that new mindset than AFP 2020 FP&A Keynote Amy Vetter, CEO of the B3 Method Institute and DRISHTIQ Yoga. This i...

To be successful, chief financial officers and treasurers need to be true leaders who invest in the professional development of their teams. That requires seeking out exceptional talent and helping those individuals grow their skillsets so that they can make the organization more resilient. In this episode of AFP Conversations, Jim Kaitz, President and CEO of AFP, discusses professional developmen...

If you've attended a career development session at an AFP Conference over the past few years, you've probably heard Nicole Meyer speak before. She is Founder and Managing Partner of The Meyer Partnership, a search and advisory firm for Global Financial Services. A former transaction banker, hiring manager and talent recruiter, Meyer created a search firm founded on the principle of bringing the wo...

Over the past several months, financial professionals have experienced upheaval in their professional and personal lives. Many have been working from home, adapting their daily schedules to that environment. When you're handling so many things at once, it can be difficult to manage your time properly. In this podcast, AFP President and CEO Jim Kaitz discusses the importance of perfect timing with...

Alphabet, Google's parent company, is a rapidly growing and dynamic business. To support this growth, Alphabet recognized the need to re-engineer its treasury function. Partnering with SAP, Alphabet launched Project Emerald—a state-of-the-art, non-custom solution that migrated treasury's processes to the company's SAP treasury workstation. The success of this in-house solution has paved the way fo...

Drager is a leading manufacturer for medical and safety technology products, employing more than 15,000 people worldwide. The company generates revenues of around 2.8 billion Euros, 55% of it in foreign currencies. Drager's portfolio of foreign currencies requires reliable data processing in a highly automated, cost-effective and flexible manner. Until the end of 2019, FX exposures were computed i...

By now, we all know about Peloton. It is the largest interactive fitness platform in the world, with a loyal community of more than 2 million members. Maybe you're a member yourself. But what you might not realize is how quickly Peloton exploded onto the fitness scene. And because of its meteoric rise, Peloton initially lacked a formalized treasury operation. In this episode of AFP Conversations,...

Treasury and finance professionals are in a unique position to influence the strategic direction of their organizations. As such, they need certain skills that allow them to influence key decision makers. AFP 2020 host and spotlight speaker Mark Jeffries joins this episode of AFP Conversations to discuss the art of influencing. An author, communications expert and former Merrill Lynch stockbroker,...

The external market influences and risks that organizations must account for in their planning cycles have never been more chaotic. In this episode of AFP Conversations , AFP 2020 Certification Keynote Mona Sutphen discusses how financial sanctions and investment restrictions are a critical tool in U.S. policy. Sutphen served as the White House Deputy Chief of Staff under President Barack Obama, a...

For treasury and finance professionals, peak performance is no longer optional—it's foundational. Studies of high performing organizations show that the secret to peak performance is "flow" – an optimal state of consciousness where we feel and perform our best. In this special edition of AFP Conversations, AFP President and CEO Jim Kaitz discusses flow and peak performance with Steven Kotler, Exec...

Corporate treasury and finance professionals require a quick access to accurate data and the ability to draw insightful analysis to propel their organizations forward. As we navigate this current crisis, forecasting the future has only become more complex and uncertain. So how can we take what seems to be disparate information and reveal the deeper underlying connections? In this special episode o...

The 2020 AFP Liquidity Survey was conducted in March 2020, just before the true impact of the coronavirus pandemic was felt in the United States. But even though respondents were surveyed before businesses began closing down, the results revealed cautious attitudes among treasury and finance professionals. In this episode of AFP Conversations, sponsored by Invesco, we discuss the survey results wi...

Is artificial intelligence the next must-have tool in FP&A's planning toolkit? AI has the potential to enhance FP&A in four key areas: data cleansing, forecasting and prediction, categorization and scoring, and driver-based planning. That's because unlike other programs, AI is able to gather information. And the more it does, the more it can think for itself, allowing for endless possibilities in...

Cash forecasting is a difficult task that every treasury department must deal with. Can artificial intelligence help? It has the potential to improve processes, save costs and enhance treasury's decision-making for liquidity, working capital and currency exposure management. In the latest episode of AFP Conversations, sponsored by Santander, we look at how AI and Big Data are leading the path to p...

In this special edition of the AFP Conversations Podcast, Jim Kaitz, President and CEO of AFP, speaks with skateboarding legend  Tony Hawk. Widely considered to be the greatest in his sport, Hawk started his own foundation, created a video game that inspired a generation, and is the most recognized action sport figure in the world. He'll be appearing at AFP 2021 as the Sunday Keynote speaker , whe...

In this special edition of AFP Conversations, members of the AFP 2020 Planning Task Force preview the agenda for the upcoming conference, which will take place in Las Vegas, from October 18-21.  First, Tracy Butler, CTP, CFO of Sound Transit, provides a preview of the FP&A track. Next, Ray Beasley, CTP, Senior Manager of Treasury for Best Buy, previews the Payments track. After that, Jenifer Herdi...

Upgrading technology to optimize processes, controls and reporting has become essential for treasury. What was once seen as optional has gradually become a requirement. Treasury management system (TMS) selection in particular can be a long and difficult process, but the end result typically makes it all worthwhile. In the latest episode of AFP Conversations, sponsored by Santander, Kjell Aansloekk...

Nacha has created new infrastructure and tools to improve key AP/AR processes and lower fraud risk. The association is looking to enhance the corporate experience in procure-to-pay and order-to-cash. In this episode of AFP Conversations, sponsored by Santander, we look at how Afinis' standardized APIs and validated data can transform payment processes, with George Throckmorton Managing Director of...

In this special edition of the AFP Conversations podcast, Jim Kaitz, president and CEO of AFP, discusses risk with General Chuck Jacoby, co-author of "Agility: How to Navigate the Unknown and Seize the Opportunity in a World of Disruption." General Jacoby brings over 36 years of experience leading military, government and international organizations. Prior to retiring, he served as the first Army...

In this special edition of the AFP Conversations podcast, Jim Kaitz, president and CEO of AFP, discusses risk with Leo Tilman, co-author of "Agility: How to Navigate the Unknown and Seize the Opportunity in a World of Disruption." A leading expert on strategy, risk, finance and a long-time advisor to major companies, institutional investors, and governments, Tilman helped shape the modern concept...

Everyone is talking about faster and real-time payments. But for corporate treasury departments in the United States, it hasn't really caught on yet except for some, very specific use cases. Corporate treasury professionals typically aren't the ones to jump at investing in some flashy new technology. On the other hand, there is a question of whether the U.S. is going to catch up to other nations....

Successful politicians have mastered the art of crafting and communicating a desired perception of themselves. Following their model, financial professionals can also carefully craft how they want to be perceived by their peers, their superiors and their employees. In this episode of AFP Conversations, sponsored by Santander, Chad Parsons, Senior Vice President and Corporate Treasury and Deposit S...