Europe’s treasurer associations are successful – where they exist
VIDEO | The core of Europe’s professional association community for treasurers was on stage, one could say, as this session of Treasury 360° Nordic 2024 lined out the exciting but patchy map.
Being 25 years old, Alexandros Koliavras learnt that his native Greece had no professional organisation for treasurers. “I will start one,” he joked. Ten years later he had.
On stage for the session were …
Annette Spencer, CEO, Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT),
Erwin Bastianen, Director Treasury, Nike
François Masquelier, CEO Simply Treasury, Chair of the European Association of Corporate Treasurers (EACT)
Alexandros Koliavras, Head of Treasury Finance and Finance Transformation, ING Americas, and President, Hellenic Association of Treasurers (HAT)
The session was led by Caroline Stockmann, Hon FCT, Non-Exec Director and External Member SONIA Oversight Committee, Bank of England
The associations on stage proved to have diverse backgrounds. Britain’s ACT works under a royal charter to promote the profession, hosting a qualification system which is open also to treasurers of the world, thus being rather international in nature. The European Association of Corporate Treasurers started from being the “Euro Association”, collecting those engaged in moving to the then-new currency – but has moved to being much more general in its scope since. The Netherlands has a very engaged treasury association, featuring as much as 750 members – part of the reason possibly being generous tax conditions that attracts corporations. Most of the Nordics have their national organisations, though not always hosting vivid open activity.
Professionals who join, often do so at relatively young age. “You see that it helps them build a network,” says Erwin Bastianen, about the youth-oriented activities of his own association.
Broadly, activities beyond the qualification systems include networking (to know where to find whom), knowledge sharing, and external influence work.
Once organised locally or regionally in Europe, doors open for further networking with corresponding associations through other parts of the world, such as Japan’s or Australia’s.
“It’s an endless network. Once you start tapping into it, it gives a lot of benefits.”
• News from Treasury 360° Nordic 2024, at Copenhagen Airport on 23 May, is gathered here.
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