Sanctions: the makers and the breakers - Episode 1

Given the attractive returns offered by cryptocurrency investments, corporate treasurers are paying increasing attention to the emerging asset-class. But the stakes are high. Crypto is volatile, accounting for it isn’t easy and using it in the real world remains elusive. In this final episode, we explore if there is a way for treasurers to benefit from crypto and the underlying technology - without being completely exposed to the risks attached to it.

Distributed ledger or blockchain technology and decentralized finance demonstrate a new way for information and assets to be exchanged instantly at a very low cost. So, can treasurers leverage this technology in their day-to-day - to share information between businesses, settle invoices, access supply chain finance or even improve their working capital?

Cloud technology, blockchain, 5G, robotic process automation and virtual reality are upending antiquated ways of working for corporate treasurers. As such, today’s treasurer is just as likely to be an expert coder or gifted engineer as they are an accountant or financial expert. But how does this new “breed” of corporate treasurer use new technology to best serve the companies they work for?

Anticipating the next evolution in corporate treasury

The ever-evolving social, economic, environmental and technology landscape is forcing treasury to adapt at lightning speed. It is no stretch to say that the role of the treasurer – and the technology and regulation that underpins it – is transforming into something altogether new. In this next series, we explore what that might look like, why, and how corporate treasurers can get there.

The moment a US regulator knocks at the door might not be the worst experience a firm will have if it breaks an economic sanction. Every member of staff, especially those at the top, face an uphill battle for that company’s survival: becoming unbanked, reforming the culture within and salvaging a damaged reputation. How can companies recover?

What it is it like to work at OFAC? What do sanctions enforcers think about the companies who break their regulations? And how will sanctions work in the UK now that it is no longer in Europe?

The regulators and enforcers of economic sanctions lift the curtain on their work life. 

What happens when a company breaks an economic sanction and gets caught? Two CEOs reveal what it was like when US federal agents come knocking, why they got into trouble in the first place, and what others can learn from their experience.

Treasury and Turbulence brings you the human stories behind corporate risk. Today's companies must seize new technology, navigate the complex geopolitical climate and convince their shareholders they tow an ethical line. 

In our next series, we hear two cautionary tales of companies that broke US sanctions. Executives tell us what it is like to have law enforcement knock at your door, US regulators reveal how they got there, and both explain how you repair and rebuild once the damage is done.  

Big data, satellite feeds from space and social media platforms is just some of the technology changing corporate disclosure. In this episode, we will be looking at the tech innovations that are helping corporates map their supply chain and influence environmental social and governance (ESG) goals on the way.

Over $30 trillion has been invested in environmental social and governance (ESG) themed assets.  With over 600 ESG rankings and ratings and over 4,000 ESG key performance indicators, standardization has never been more important. But who decides on ESG standards in the corporate supply chain and how can banks help corporate treasurers navigate this evolving market?