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AFP Conversations

Andrew Deichler, Multimedia Content Manager for AFP, interviews corporate treasury and finance executives about their latest challenges and insights. Topics include blockchain, fintech, cybersecurity, payments, risk, FP&A, career development, and more.
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Now displaying: 2019
Dec 31, 2019

FinNext 2020 is where you can discover the future of finance. This event, which takes place March 15-17, 2020 in New Orleans, provides attendees with the opportunity to learn from experts in the FP&A community, while connecting with professional peers.  

In this episode of AFP Conversations, we discuss all that FinNext has to offer with Bryan Lapidus, AFP’s Director of the FP&A Practice. Lapidus has been instrumental in putting together this year’s agenda.

Register for FinNext here.

Dec 17, 2019

Finance executives know all too well the importance of having good timing. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of hard evidence out there about so-called “perfect” timing itself. We make a lot of “when” decisions in our professional lives based largely around guesswork. But there is a better way.

In this episode of AFP Conversations, Jim Kaitz, President and CEO of AFP, discusses good timing with New York Times Bestselling Author Daniel Pink. Pink's books on work, business and behavior have won multiple awards and have sold more than 3 million copies worldwide. His latest book, “When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing,” reveals how timing is truly a science that can help us make smarter decisions, enhance productivity, and boost the performance of our organizations. 

Pink will be discussing his research in a keynote presentation at FinNext 2020. FinNext, which takes place in New Orleans from March 15-17, is where FP&A professionals meet to create what’s next. Register here.

Dec 10, 2019

AFP 2020 in Las Vegas will be here before you know it. It's the most important event in treasury and finance, and that’s why the call for session proposals is already open.

In this episode of AFP Conversations, we speak with Aurora Gregory, Marketing Communications Strategist and Author of “Get Picked: Tips, Tricks and Tools for Creating Irresistible Speaker Proposals." She has worked with some of the largest companies in the world to help them get their stories up to speed, and in this interview, she provides you with tips on how to get your session proposal ready for prime time.

Would you like to tell the story of your organization in front of your peers? Submit a proposal for AFP 2020 today. Submissions will be accepted through January 17, 2020. To view the guidelines and to submit your proposal, go to AFP2020.org/CFS

Dec 3, 2019

Real-time payments (RTP) have had a bit of trouble catching on in the U.S., but they may finally be turning the corner, with The Clearing House’s Real Time Payments Network, as well as the Federal Reserve’s upcoming service, FedNow. Treasury professionals on the whole tend to take their time when it comes to adopting new technology. Nevertheless, the prospect of paying and settling B2B payments in real-time is enticing, and it seems like it’s only a matter of time before it breaks through in the U.S.

In this episode of AFP Conversations, sponsored by Santander, Larry Mills, Vice President and Assistant Treasurer for Travelers Insurance, and Beatriz Saldivar, Director of Treasury and Payments for Axletree Solutions, discuss how treasury organizations are grappling with transitioning from a batch world to a real-time world.

For more insights on real-time payments, check out the 2019 AFP Electronic Payments Survey.

Nov 21, 2019

In the latest episode of AFP Conversations, sponsored by Santander, we turn our attention to U.S./China business relations. Though China is the fastest growing market in the world and it has gradually opened its doors in recent years, the U.S./China trade dispute has threatened the ongoing relationship between both nations. So the question is, what comes next? To discuss where businesses on both sides go next are Frank Sansone, Treasurer and Senior Vice President for China Construction Bank, and Anton Chan, RMB Specialist, Financial Markets, Americas for Standard Chartered Bank.

Nov 12, 2019

Libor is expected to be phased out by the end of 2021. Alternatives to Libor rates are emerging across the globe and mechanisms for establishing contractual fallbacks and adjustments to Libor-indexed financial instruments are being developed to minimize disruption, if in fact it does end in 2022. If Libor does end, however, the impacts on treasury will be significant.

In this episode of AFP Conversations, sponsored by Santander, we’ll talk about what some of the implications could be for treasury and finance professionals, and what they should be doing in case Libor does end. Joining the podcast are Robert Owens, Director of Fixed Income Strategy for Farmer Mac, and Ruth Hardie, Senior Director of Client Services for Hedge Trackers, who both discussed this topic at AFP 2019.

For more insights, visit AFP's Libor Transition Guide.

Nov 6, 2019

Data, cyber and identity controls are top priorities for corporate treasury and finance professionals. What do practitioners need to consider when working with their team, their banks and their technology partners when attempting to protect themselves?

At AFP 2019, Stacy Rosenthal, Senior Vice President and Head of Payments Product for Santander and Bob Stark, Vice President of Strategy for Kyriba, joined the AFP Conversations podcast to discuss practical approaches to strengthening cybersecurity, focusing on three fronts: people, processes and tools.

This episode of AFP Conversations is sponsored by Santander.

 

Oct 8, 2019

This episode of AFP Conversations, sponsored by Standard Chartered, looks at digitization in Asia, and how it’s changing the way that corporate treasury and finance professionals handle their day-to-day operations and interact with their customers. Treasurers who embrace the latest technology like instant (or real-time) payments have a better chance at becoming value-added advisers to their business.

Alan Lin, Global Head of Cash, Transaction Banking for Standard Chartered, looks at how payments and technology trends are impacting treasury and finance departments in Asia. Located in Singapore, Lin has an inside view of how consumer behavior and the launch of new digital tools are driving innovation.

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, has multiple sessions on both Asia and payments trends. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Sep 26, 2019

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more sophisticated, it is increasingly taking on roles that are traditionally done by humans. From forecasting and liquidity management to payments processing, consumers and practitioners alike need to be able to trust these AI systems.

In this episode of AFP Conversations, AFP 2019 MindShift Keynote Dr. Rana el Kaliouby, co-founder and CEO of Affectiva, discusses Emotion AI, which combines facial expression and tone of voice to infer how a person is feeling. Dr. el Kaliouby's work promises to ensure that organizations are better attuned to the needs of their people as they implement AI programs into various aspects of the operation, including the treasury and finance practice. So it's no surprise that she was selected to speak at AFP MindShift this year. The AFP MindShift keynote is sponsored by Capital One.

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Sep 23, 2019

Corporate treasury and finance professionals operating in China and Hong Kong currently face a number of unique challenges, which are creating a lot of uncertainty. And if there's one thing financial professionals try to avoid, it's uncertainty. In this episode of AFP Conversations, Jim Kaitz, President and CEO of AFP, sits down with Craig Allen, President of the United States-China Business Council (USCBC), a nonprofit organization representing over 200 American companies doing business with China. Kaitz and Allen discuss how the trade dispute between China and the U.S. and mass protests in Hong Kong are impacting organizations operating in the region.

For more insights on U.S./China business relations, don’t miss the AFP 2019 Executive Institute session, Trade Wars: Facing the Business Impact of Tariffs. AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Sep 17, 2019

This special edition of AFP Conversations, looks at the city of Boston and what it has to offer treasury and finance professions when they descend upon the city in October for AFP 2019. Dave O’Donnell, Director of Strategic Communications with the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, provides attendees with an insider's view to the best spots to visit while you’re in town.

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Sep 10, 2019

Peter Warren Singer is a best-selling author and strategist for New America. Named one of the nation’s 100 leading innovators by the Smithsonian, one of the 100 most influential people in defense issues by Defense News, and one of the Top 100 Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy, Singer is one of the United States’ leading experts on security and 21st century warfare. This October, he will deliver the keynote address at the Payments Breakfast at AFP 2019, sponsored by Bottomline, Discover, Fiserv, Nacha and Visa.

While the first part of this interview focused on data breaches and ransomware attacks, this episode looks at how disinformation campaigns are targeting corporations and how your organization can respond when you become a target.  

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Sep 3, 2019

Rosie Rios served as the 43rd Treasurer of the United States, under President Barack Obama. Sworn in as Treasurer in 2009, she was part of the team that implemented the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a stimulus package developed in response to the Financial Crisis and Great Recession. Given her experience during one of the most volatile times of our nation’s economic history, it is no surprise that Rios was selected as the keynote speaker for the Tuesday Luncheon at the Executive Institute at AFP 2019.

In this interview with the AFP Conversations podcast, Rios looks back on her impressive career and shares what she learned about how markets, policy and business strategy are intertwined. She also provides treasury and finance leaders with advice on how they can support continued stability.

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Aug 27, 2019

An award-winning performance coach and recognized educator and mentor, Dr. Ivan Joseph is passionate about empowering others by helping them build self-confidence. As the Director of Athletics at Ryerson University, Dr. Joseph leads the department of athletics and recreation including 11 varsity teams and more than 20 intramural leagues.

In this interview with the AFP Conversations podcast, Dr. Joseph previews his AFP 2019 session, discussing how leaders can foster an environment and culture that recognizes and promotes collaboration. Learn how leaders can build community among their teams and bring people from diverse backgrounds together.

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Aug 20, 2019

Casey Gerald, author of “There Will Be No Miracles Here,” was the poster child for the American Dream, escaping a harrowing childhood to enter a new world of elite universities and secret societies. But as he climbed the social ladder, he saw how this hierarchical divide stifled those at the margins. He came to understand that “salvation stories” like his could be used to keep others from rising.

In this interview with AFP President and CEO Jim Kaitz, Gerald turns the American Dream narrative on its head, explaining how to keep a positive, but realistic mindset when faced with adversity, while challenging our preconceived notions of success. At AFP 2019, he will elaborate on these ideas even further in a special presentation.

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Aug 13, 2019

Anne-Marie Slaughter is the CEO of New America, a public policy institute and idea incubator whose mission is to realize America’s highest ideals by confronting the challenges posed by technological and social change. Together with her team of scientists, technologists and political and economic thinkers, Slaughter works to generate big ideas as templates for change.

Slaughter, who was named one of Foreign Policy’s Top 100 Global Thinkers from 2009 to 2012, is also a celebrated author and editor. In her latest book "The Chessboard and the Web: Strategies of Connection in a Networked World," she uses network science to develop a new way of thinking about strategy in business and politics in the current era of rapid change and disruption.

She was the first woman to serve as the Director of Policy Planning, a title she held from 2009 to 2011, under U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama. Also professor and a lawyer, Slaughter is the Bert G. Kerstetter '66 University Professor Emerita of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University and was the Dean of Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs from 2002 to 2009.

This fall, Slaughter will be a spotlight speaker at AFP 2019 in Boston, in which she will speak on the future of work. She’ll examine how work is changing, and how everyone, regardless of age or tenure, has to continue to learn and develop new skills. 

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Jul 30, 2019

In this episode of AFP Conversations, we speak with Fareed Zakaria, best-selling author, host of Fareed Zakaria GPS for CNN Worldwide, and a columnist for The Washington Post. Esquire magazine once called Zakaria “the most influential foreign policy adviser of his generation.”

From the volatility of the financial markets to the innovation trends impacting the future of work, treasury and finance leaders must be prepared to navigate a rapidly changing, complex landscape. And no one is more qualified to deliver up-to-the-minute insights into the geopolitical and economic risks impacting you, your organization, and the global economy, than Fareed Zakaria. That's why he was invited to be a keynote speaker at AFP 2019.

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Jul 23, 2019

 

Peter Warren Singer is a best-selling author and strategist for New America. Named one of the nation’s 100 leading innovators by the Smithsonian, one of the 100 most influential people in defense issues by Defense News, and one of the Top 100 Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy, Singer is one of the United States’ leading experts on security and 21st century warfare. His award-winning books include “Cybersecurity and Cyberwar: What Everyone Needs to Know;” “Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War;” and “LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media.”

This October, Singer will deliver the keynote address at the Payments Breakfast at AFP 2019. He will be discussing the “cyberthreatscape”, providing treasury and finance professionals with key insights on how to protect their payments infrastructure from modern cybercriminals. From ransomware to BEC scams to state-sponsored data breaches, corporates face an ever-changing threat landscape that puts their organizations and payments infrastructures at risk.

In this episode of AFP Conversations, he provides us with a preview of his session, as we take a deep dive into some of the most important cybersecurity threats out there.

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

 

Jul 16, 2019

Neil Pasricha believes we can be happy at work – or at least we need to be happier at work. After graduating from Harvard Business School, he spent a decade as Director of Leadership at Walmart. While there, he wrote the 50-million-hit, award-winning blog, “1000 Awesome Things” and the New York Times bestsellers, “The Book of Awesome” and “The Happiness Equation.”

Pasricha uses scientific research to help people lead happier lives. He’ll discuss the Science of a Positive Growth Mindset at the Monday Executive Institute Luncheon at AFP 2019. In this episode of AFP Conversations, Pasricha reveals the difficult circumstances that led to the creation of his groundbreaking blog, and how he keeps a positive mindset in even the most difficult of times.

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Jul 8, 2019

According to a recent survey published in Forbes, data scientists spend nearly 80 percent of their time collecting and cleaning data, and only 20 percent actually using it.

Emily Huang, CEO and co-founder of fintech startup idaciti, thinks that 80:20 ratio has to flip, and she has a solution. In the latest edition of AFP Conversations, Huang discusses how idaciti parses public financial filings from the SEC every 10 minutes, so finance professionals can focus on analyzing and leveraging the data instead of collecting and cleaning it.

At AFP 2019, this October in Boston, finance professionals will find plenty of solutions on how to maximize their use of data. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100. 

Jul 1, 2019

Libor is going away in 2021 and treasury and finance executives are slowly making preparations. One item on their to-do list is fallback language. That’s the wording to indicate the rate that corporates would… fall back on in the event a Libor-related loan is still around after Libor sunsets at the end of 2021.

Fortunately for finance executives, the Alternative Reference Rates Committee, which is overseeing the transition from Libor in the U.S., recently released its recommended Libor fallback language. Even so, implementing fallback language – and preparing for a world without Libor – is no slam dunk.

On this episode of AFP Conversations, Meredith Coffey provides insights on what financial professionals need to do to prepare. Coffey is Executive Vice President of the Loan Syndications and Trading Association where she runs the research department and co-heads the LSTA’s regulatory efforts to help facilitate continued availability of credit and efficiency in the loan market.

She is also a member of the Alternative Reference Rates Committee, or ARRC, she co-chairs the ARRC’s Business Loans Working Group, and she has testified several times before Congress about loan markets.

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Jun 24, 2019

One reason why we find it so hard to focus is because we are so busy trying to be productive. Trying to squeeze as much out of the moment as possible. And there are so many things to do at any moment. So how do we prioritize?

Chris Bailey has been called a “productivity mastermind” by Fast Company. He is the international bestselling author of two books -- Hyperfocus and The Productivity Project -- and his productivity blog, A Life of Productivity, is read by more than 200,000 people worldwide each month. He is also scheduled to speak about productivity and focus at AFP 2019 this October in Boston.

In the latest edition of AFP Conversations, Bailey discusses the link between focusing and productivity. He looks at why people do so much today but accomplish so little, and even talks about a concept he calls strategic un-focusing. 

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Jun 17, 2019

Avi Goldfarb is the Rotman Chair in Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare and a Professor of Marketing at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. He is also Chief Data Scientist at the Creative Destruction Lab, Senior Editor at Marketing Science, a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and President of Goldfarb Analytics Corporation.

In his new book, “Prediction Machines,” Goldfarb explains how artificial intelligence (AI) will affect business, public policy, and society in terms that work for decision makers in virtually all fields. Perhaps his most important role is coming up this October in Boston, when he will be the featured speaker at the FP&A Luncheon at AFP 2019.

Goldfarb recently joined us on the AFP Conversations podcast, and we discussed using AI to make predictions in all areas of life and business.

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Jun 11, 2019

Bryan Lapidus, FP&A, is the Director of the FP&A practice at the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP). Lapidus has worked in financial planning and analysis for American Express and Fannie Mae. He’s also worked in risk management which gives him a bit of a unique perspective on forecasting. Also a prolific author and blogger, his work can be found at AFPonline.org, The Digitalist, Oracle and LinkedIn. In this interview, Lapidus discusses AFP's recent FinNext conference, as well as the state of FP&A - where it’s at, where it’s headed, and more.

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

Jun 4, 2019

Libor, the world’s most important number, is going away in 2021. But according to a recent Wall Street Journal article, banks and corporates have been slow to move away from the rate – even as regulators are uncharacteristically ahead of schedule in creating alternatives. So why are finance executives dragging their feet? Laurie Brignac has some thoughts.

Brignac is the chief investment officer and head of Invesco’s Global Liquidity Business. She’s a recognized industry expert on corporate investing who has presented at the AFP Annual Conference. Brignac has been in the investment business since 1989 and is on numerous industry committees both in the U.S. and globally. Brignac discussed the “what”, the “when” and the “how” to be ready for the Libor transition.

Invesco assets under management are as of May 24, 2019.

The opinions expressed are those of Laurie Brignac are based on current market conditions and subject to change. Her opinion may differ from those of other Invesco investment professionals. Invesco Advisers, Inc. is an investment adviser. It provides investment advisory services and does not sell securities. Invesco Advisers is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Invesco Ltd. Invesco and its entities are not directly affiliated with the Association of Financial Professionals. NA5234

AFP 2019, this October in Boston, is where treasury and finance professionals separate the hype from the reality. Visit www.afp2019.org/register to sign up and use discount code PODCASTAFP2019 at checkout to save $100.

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