Today, being a corporate finance executive means being a great strategist, risk manager, problem solver and analyst. It means wearing many hats: offering valuable analysis to help run the business, solving problems and choosing strategic direction.

Strategising big-picture business initiatives, developing corporate strategy and taking on more and more responsibility for growth means thinking about agility, productivity and scale.

Consider how your company invests in advanced technologies: does your philosophy make business sense for both core finance functions and the company as a whole? The end result: better business decisions, enhanced productivity and employee engagement.

Four technology megatrends—insights, cloud platform, mobile productivity and social—are transforming how business is done today, and each has far-reaching implications for finance. Read more on Microsoft’s website…

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A snapshot of speakers at the Global Finance CFO conference include:

• Russell Wong, CFO, ADP Canada
• Emma Da Silva, CFO, Microsoft
• Ross Woledge, CFO Practice Leader, Odgers Berndtson
• Michael Ward, CEO Europe & North America, OzForex Canadian Forex
• David McIsaac, CFO, Northern Trust
• Angelo Valentini, CFO Cisco Canada
• Barbara Anderson, CFO, PanAm Games 2015 Toronto
• and others…click here to see more CFO speakers

This conference is for and about CFOs. If you’re a CPA, CMA, CGA, Controller, Treasurer, Finance Manager or Finance Director, this conference is for you. If you’re in the finance department, you must attend this conference.

Corporate finance professionals and chartered accountants will benefit from this Toronto conference. Everyone in accounting will benefit from this conference.

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David was an invited speaker at The 2014 Global Finance Conference in Toronto, Oct 21-22. For more information about the conference review the agenda, or contact Daintry Springer (by email), Chair, 2014 Global Finance Conference.

David Baron is President and CEO of Cowater International Inc., Chairman of the Board for both CRC Sogema and Sogema Technologies Inc. and Board Member for Canadian Council on Africa.

With Cowater, David Baron leads the senior management team and has overall responsibility for the strategic direction of the company, as well as leading strategic alliance and partnership opportunities globally.

He provides oversight to business development with particular attention to leading emerging business and areas of growth in new markets.

Prior to joining Cowater Mr. Baron was with Export Development Canada where he gained wide-ranging experience in project management and leadership.

Mr. Baron has deep experience in guiding teams in both the government and private sector environments and has worked extensively in collaboration with many internationally recognized institutions, financial partners and legal firms. He is a dynamic entrepreneur, strategist and leader whom has led Cowater to become the Canadian leader in management consulting for emerging economies.

Mr. Baron has extensive work experience in Asia, Central and South America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East; he graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor degree in Social Science (political science and economics) and subsequently from Australia’s Sydney University Graduate School of Business, where he obtained a Masters’ degree in International Business Administration.

David Baron is a speaker at The 2014 Global Finance Conference. Other speakers at the conference include:

• Russell Wong, CFO, ADP Canada
• Emma Da Silva, CFO, Microsoft
• Ross Woledge, CFO Practice Leader, Odgers Berndtson
• David McIsaac, CFO, Northern Trust
• Angelo Valentini, CFO Cisco Canada
• Barbara Anderson, CFO, PanAm Games 2015 Toronto
• and others…click here to see more CFO speakers

This conference is for and about CFOs. If you’re a CPA, CMA, CGA, Controller, Treasurer, Finance Manager or Finance Director, this conference is for you. If you’re in the finance department, you must attend this conference. Corporate finance professionals and chartered accountants will benefit from this Toronto conference. Everyone in accounting will benefit from this conference.

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Brice represents WIND Mobile and is a speaker at The 2014 Global Finance Conference in Toronto, Oct 21-22. For more information about the conference review the agenda, or contact Daintry Springer (by email), Chair, 2014 Global Finance Conference.

Topic: The WIND Mobile Story

What You Will Learn

• How WIND Mobile raised capital in complex structures
• The WIND approach to vendor financing and shareholder raises
• What the road ahead looks like for WIND Mobile

Brice Scheschuk’s Biography

Brice Scheschuk is a Co-founder, Director and Chief Financial Officer of Globalive Communications / WIND Mobile and Pragmatic.

Brice has been with Globalive / WIND for ten years in a senior finance capacity and is responsible for all aspects of finance, facilities, business planning, human resources and procurement including direct responsibility for raising in excess of $1.5 billion in capital.

Globalive / WIND is a leading Canadian telecommunications service provider with a national fixed and wireless footprint and 1,350 employees. Brice is the CFO of Globalive Capital an investment holding company focused on private and public company and fund investing and manages approximately $100 million in assets across a number of investment classes including alternative funds, private and public equity, venture capital, angel, real estate, CPC’s, SPAC’s and RTO’s. He is a director of Transgaming (TSXV: TNG), a gaming technology company; the chairman and a director of Samba Days, a gift experiences company; and a past director of a number of public and private companies including Web Host Industry Review, iLookabout, Hy-Drive Technologies and Varicent Software.

Brice is a Canadian Chartered Accountant and earned his designation at Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) in 1997. A passionate entrepreneur and investor, Brice has been involved in some of the most exciting start-ups in Canada over the past 20 years.

Brice is a speaker at the 2014 Global Finance Conference, representing WIND Mobile. Other speakers at the conference include:

• Russell Wong, CFO, ADP Canada
• Ross Woledge, CFO Practice Leader, Odgers Berndtson
• Michael Ward, CEO Europe & North America, OzForex Canadian Forex
• Angelo Valentini, CFO Cisco Canada
• Barbara Anderson, CFO, PanAm Games 2015 Toronto
• and others…click here to see more CFO speakers

This conference is for and about CFOs. If you’re a CPA, CMA, CGA, Controller, Treasurer, Finance Manager or Finance Director, this conference is for you. If you’re in the finance department, you must attend this conference. Corporate finance professionals and chartered accountants will benefit from this Toronto conference. Everyone in accounting will benefit from this conference.

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Emma is a panelist at The 2014 Global Finance Conference in Toronto, Oct 21-22. For more information about the conference review the agenda, or contact Daintry Springer (by email), Chair, 2014 Global Finance Conference.

Speaker Topic: Financial Benefits of Cloud Technology

What You Will Learn

• Why a cloud platform allows the shifting of capital expenses to operating expenses
• Why cloud technology reduces management costs
• How it enables reduced time to innovation for a new product or service delivery

Emma Da Silva’s Biography

As the Chief Financial Officer of Microsoft Canada, Emma is focused on providing financial leadership to the subsidiary and driving shareholder value. She also plays a critical role in key strategic growth and profitability initiatives, and the organization’s efforts to maintain a fully compliant culture.

Emma joined Microsoft Canada in 1994 with a degree in Accountancy from the University of Waterloo and later earned her Certified Management Accountant designation. She continues to have a long, successful career including numerous roles in the Canadian subsidiary across Finance, Sales, and Marketing. Her past roles include; Director of Sales for Mid Markets, Director of the Microsoft Office Division, and Director of Finance. She’s led exciting initiatives like the launch of Office 2003, 2007, and 2010 in addition to Office 365 – driving the shift to a cloud first, mobile first world.

When she’s not working, Emma enjoys spending time with her husband and two children Brianna and Brayden.

Emma is a speaker at the 2014 Global Finance Conference, representing Microsoft Canada. Other speakers at the conference include:

• Russell Wong, CFO, ADP Canada
• Ross Woledge, CFO Practice Leader, Odgers Berndtson
• Michael Ward, CEO Europe & North America, OzForex Canadian Forex
• David McIsaac, CFO, Northern Trust
• Angelo Valentini, CFO Cisco Canada
• Barbara Anderson, CFO, PanAm Games 2015 Toronto
• and others…click here to see more CFO speakers

This conference is for and about CFOs. If you’re a CPA, CMA, CGA, Controller, Treasurer, Finance Manager or Finance Director, this conference is for you. If you’re in the finance department, you must attend this conference. Corporate finance professionals and chartered accountants will benefit from this Toronto conference. Everyone in accounting will benefit from this conference.

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David is a speaker at The 2014 Global Finance Conference in Toronto, Oct 21-22. For more information about the conference review the agenda, or contact Daintry Springer (by email), Chair, 2014 Global Finance Conference.

Topic: Be a Better Strategic Finance Partner to the CEO

What You Will Learn

• What a CEO needs in a strategic partner
• The value of being a strategic partneR
• How to be one step ahead of your CEO
• What is a strategic business partner and how must the CFO role transform to get there?
• What are the key elements that enable strategic partnerships?

David McIsaac’s Biography

David is responsible for managing and controlling all financial-related activities of the two Canadian legal entities, the Trust Company and Foreign Bank Branch, representing over $138 billion in assets under custody.

He has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, previously working for Aviva, Manulife, CIBC and RBC.

An active volunteer, he shares his leadership skills, financial expertise and broad thinking, in the not-for-profit sector as Chair of the Ontario Advisory Board and divisional representative to the National Board of the Arthritis Society and previously as a Board member with the Victorian Order of Nurses.

In addition, he personally supports the Arthritis Society through numerous committees and has participated in the Joints-in-Motion fundraising program, completing a half marathon in China and cycling 500 km in France.

David is a Certified General Accountant and has a B.A. (Honours) in Economics from the University of Toronto.

David is a speaker at the 2014 Global Finance Conference, representing Northern Trust Canada. Other speakers at the conference include:

• Russell Wong, CFO, ADP Canada
• Ross Woledge, CFO Practice Leader, Odgers Berndtson
• Michael Ward, CEO Europe & North America, OzForex Canadian Forex
• Angelo Valentini, CFO Cisco Canada
• Barbara Anderson, CFO, PanAm Games 2015 Toronto
• and others…click here to see more CFO speakers

This conference is for and about CFOs. If you’re a CPA, CMA, CGA, Controller, Treasurer, Finance Manager or Finance Director, this conference is for you. If you’re in the finance department, you must attend this conference. Corporate finance professionals and chartered accountants will benefit from this Toronto conference. Everyone in accounting will benefit from this conference.

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With so many conferences all trying to get your time and attention, why attend The Global Finance Conference? There are many reasons to attend this specific CFO conference…advancing your career, learning from the experts, making new contacts and networking with like-minded executives are a few reasons to attend.

Up Your Game – Learn from CFOs and CEOs at the Finance Conference

Join your colleagues at The 2014 Global Finance Conference – the premiere CFO conference in Toronto – on October 21-22. Hear from over 25 Canadian CFOs and CEOs – Canada’s most respected thought leaders.

They will provide timely advice and solutions to key problems facing finance professionals. Senior executives within the finance function, across all industries will find value in this conference. Knowledge presented from the CFO’s perspective has the benefit of creating context for delegates.

Register Today – Seating is Limited

I would encourage you to register today for this finance conference and hear from over 25 speakers, including:

• Angelo Valentini, CFO Cisco Canada
• Russell Wong, CFO, ADP Canada
• Emma Da Silva, CFO, Microsoft
• Michael Ward, CEO Europe & North America, OzForex Canadian Forex
• Suzanne Godbehere, Head of Canada, ACCA Canada
• David McIsaac, CFO, Northern Trust
• Ross Woledge, CFO Practice Leader, Odgers Berndtson
• Barbara Anderson, CFO, PanAm Games 2015 Toronto
• and others…click here to see more CFO speakers

This conference is for and about CFOs.

If you’re a CPA, CMA, CGA, Controller, Treasurer, Finance Manager or Finance Director, this conference is for you. If you’re in the finance department, you must attend this finance conference.

Corporate finance professionals and chartered accountants will benefit from this Toronto conference. Everyone in accounting will benefit from this finance conference.

CFOs and CEOs can qualify for a discount – click here to apply.

CFO Strategies for Financial Management and Strong Growth

You’re a finance professional in a competitive market. Learn how to be a better strategic partner to the CEO or your colleagues. Set yourself and your company apart when you leverage the advice of Canada’s best and brightest CFOs and learn their innovative strategies to fund domestic and international growth.

Crowd-Source World Class Solutions

In this connected world ideas can come from anywhere, what’s required is inspiration.

The more you’re attuned to the latest thinking, the more you can seek out solutions that will benefit your entire organization.

Over 2 days, knowledge from the C-suite presented at The 2014 Global Finance CFO Conference will provide you with insights, inspiration and access to key contacts that can help you manage and grow your business and your career.

Who Should Attend?

• Head of Finance Department
• Vice President of Finance
• Director of Finance or Audit
• Controller or Treasurer
• Senior Finance Managers
• Senior Accountants
• Chief Financial Officers
• The effect of Disruptive Technology on the Finance Department

CFOs and CEOs can qualify for a discount – click here to apply.

View Daintry Springer’s profile

For more information about the conference review the agenda, or contact Daintry Springer (by email), Chair, 2014 Global Finance Conference.

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Up Your Game – Learn from CFOs and CEOs at the CFO Conference

Join your colleagues at The 2014 Global Finance CFO Conference – the premiere CFO conference in Toronto – on October 21-22. Hear from over 25 Canadian CFOs and CEOs – Canada’s most respected thought leaders.

They will provide timely advice and solutions to key problems facing finance professionals. Senior executives within the finance function, across all industries will find value in this conference. Knowledge presented from the CFO’s perspective has the benefit of creating context for delegates.

For more information about the conference review the agenda, or contact Daintry Springer (by email), Chair, 2014 Global Finance Conference.

Note from the CFO Conference Chair – Daintry Springer, President at BlackSharp & Company

I would encourage you to register today for this CFO conference – space is limited – and hear from over 25 speakers, including:

• Angelo Valentini, CFO Cisco Canada
• Russell Wong, CFO, ADP Canada
• Emma Da Silva, CFO, Microsoft
• Michael Ward, CEO Europe & North America, OzForex Canadian Forex
• Suzanne Godbehere, Head of Canada, ACCA Canada
• David McIsaac, CFO, Northern Trust
• Ross Woledge, CFO Practice Leader, Odgers Berndtson
• Barbara Anderson, CFO, PanAm Games 2015 Toronto
• and others…click here to see more CFO speakers

This conference is for and about CFOs.

If you’re a CPA, CMA, CGA, Controller, Treasurer, Finance Manager or Finance Director, this conference is for you. If you’re in the finance department, you must attend this conference.

Corporate finance professionals and chartered accountants will benefit from this Toronto conference. Everyone in accounting will benefit from this conference.

CFOs and CEOs can qualify for a discount – click here to apply.

CFO Strategies for Financial Management and Strong Growth

You’re a finance professional in a competitive market. Learn how to be a better strategic partner to the CEO or your colleagues. Set yourself and your company apart when you leverage the advice of Canada’s best and brightest CFOs and learn their innovative strategies to fund domestic and international growth.

Crowd-Source World Class Solutions

In this connected world ideas can come from anywhere, what’s required is inspiration.

The more you’re attuned to the latest thinking, the more you can seek out solutions that will benefit your entire organization.

Over 2 days, knowledge from the C-suite presented at The 2014 Global Finance CFO Conference will provide you with insights, inspiration and access to key contacts that can help you manage and grow your business and your career.

Who Should Attend?

• Head of Finance Department
• Vice President of Finance
• Director of Finance or Audit
• Controller or Treasurer
• Senior Finance Managers
• Senior Accountants
• Chief Financial Officers
• The effect of Disruptive Technology on the Finance Department

CFOs and CEOs can qualify for a discount – click here to apply.

Learning Outcomes

• Strategies To Mitigate Risk
• Techniques To Penetrate New Markets
• How To Improve Business Processes
• Selecting & Implementing IT Solutions
• HR Management Methods
• ERP Service Options
• Innovative Financing

The post CFO Conference – The Global Finance Conference appeared first on Global Finance Conference.

Foreign currency exchange (forex or FX) rates are a factor that any business buying and selling in multiple currencies should consider. In today’s volatile economy, currency exchange rates can experience drastic swings and a move in the wrong direction can deal a devastating blow to a company’s cash flow and liquidity.

Most businesses that deal in multiple currencies take steps to protect their holdings in those currencies against significant market fluctuations. If they’re not, it’s certainly something they should consider. There are several ways to mitigate the risks inherent to FX, one of the most important is the implementation of an appropriate currency exchange strategy.

A Basic Currency Exchange Strategy

There are a number of ways to save your business money when making currency payments, depending upon each company’s situation. Trade volume, market volatility, the specific currencies being traded and numerous other factors can enter into the equation. Few companies have the time and/or expertise to adequately follow all the indicators that will enable them to make the most effective currency exchange trades.

For most, the best option is to engage the services of a professional FX broker, not only to perform their trades, but to construct a currency exchange trading strategy that best suits their situation and offers the best protection.

After carefully analyzing the company’s cash flow history and projections, along with the interactions between all currencies involved, a broker can structure a strategy that will:

1. minimize vulnerability to currency volatility
2. optimize trades to take advantage of the best available exchange rates.

Limit Currency Exchange Risk & Mazimize Gains

There are many positions that can be taken to limit risk and maximize gains. When a company finds it necessary to receive large transactions in a foreign currency and their cash flow is fairly predictable, often they can time their FX transactions to coincide with payments in other currencies, as a means of optimizing their net gains or losses.

The key to the most successful forex transaction and currency exchange strategies is in balancing the net effects of exchanges in various currencies. Planning exchanges in advance can be an important part of such a strategy.

For instance, if your company receives a high volume of payments in yen, but has to make a sizable portion of its payments in yuan, it probably won’t make sense to convert yen to dollars and then make a second conversion of dollars to yuan. In most instances, allowing your yen account to maintain a balance large enough to handle your payables in yuan would allow you to simply convert directly from yen to yuan (provided that the net exchange rate is preferable), rather than having two separate conversions.

How to Define a Currency Exchange Strategy

There are many factors to consider when constructing a currency exchange trading strategy – the amount of total exposure in currency, the type of business, the number of different currencies, the cash flow needs of the business and more. This is why it’s always advisable to have a professional FX consultant help design your strategy, even if you intend to eventually manage it yourself.

It’s possible that if you work in enough diverse currencies, normal market fluctuations may be readily balanced across your portfolio. There are companies with large global footprints that work in enough different currencies that they can time their conversions internally, thus helping to balance any individual gains and losses. Having a partner with that ability can be a tremendous advantage, as it provides a great deal of leverage over exposure.

A Final Word of Advice

If your situation warrants it, you could also consider utilizing forwards or limit orders in your strategy, as a means of hedging against volatility of some currencies. Your forex broker can assist you in the most effective implementation of those positions.

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This post was contributed by Michael Ward, CEO, Europe & North America at OZ Forex and a Global Finance Conference speaker.

CFO and CEO speakers at the Global Finance CFO Conference include:

• Russell Wong, CFO, ADP Canada
• Emma Da Silva, CFO, Microsoft
• Ross Woledge, CFO Practice Leader, Odgers Berndtson
• Michael Ward, CEO Europe & North America, OzForex Canadian Forex
• David McIsaac, CFO, Northern Trust
• Angelo Valentini, CFO Cisco Canada
• Barbara Anderson, CFO, PanAm Games 2015 Toronto
• and others…click here to see more CFO speakers

This conference is for and about CFOs. If you’re a CPA, CMA, CGA, Controller, Treasurer, Finance Manager or Finance Director, this conference is for you. If you’re in the finance department, you must attend this conference. Corporate finance professionals and chartered accountants will benefit from this Toronto conference. Everyone in accounting will benefit from this conference.

For more information about the conference review the agenda, or contact Daintry Springer (by email), Chair, 2014 Global Finance Conference.

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As part of my job, I talk to corporate treasurers and treasury executives all the time. Back when I started with AFP in 2009, that wasn’t such a pleasant task. Back then, nearly every member I spoke with was seriously stressed as a result of the financial crisis and severe recession. Those conversations went something like this: “My CEO wants to know where all our cash is—right now. But I don’t even have visibility into our domestic cash, let alone our foreign operations.”

The members persevered, however, shoring up their organization’s short-term finances. That made their bosses and, ultimately shareholders, very happy. And that led to something else, something many treasury executives wanted for a very long time, but few enjoyed—an invitation into the board as a strategic partner to the organization.

The Corporate Treasurer Is Important to Management

It turns out that treasury executives performed so well in 2009 that senior management and the board of directors decided to include them in strategic planning because of their unique analytical skill set. No longer would corporate treasurers languish in the back of the office, processing payroll and paying bills. Now, the CEO and board wanted to know corporate treasurers’ thoughts—and how much cash was on hand—as they moved to grow the company.

AFP research backs up this career development. According to our 2014 Strategic Role of Treasury survey, 84 percent of treasury executives say their role has expanded over the past five years, and 83 percent say their role will continue to expand over the next five years.

What’s more, 63 percent say corporate treasury’s expanded role is the result of the close attention that senior management and the board of directors now pay to liquidity and risk exposure. And three-quarters say corporate treasury enjoys strong access and visibility to the organization’s executive committee/c-suite.

During a Crisis, Seek Out The Corporate Treasurer

One thing’s clear. If senior management learned anything from the Great Recession, it was to get very close with their corporate treasurer during an economic crisis. A good corporate treasurer can wring cash out of almost any corner of the company. When you’re just trying to pay your bills and survive through the fiscal quarter, that’s an absolutely essential skill.

With the new respect for corporate treasurers, however, come new challenges and new expectations. Treasury executives are working harder than ever to hire, train and retain great employees. Many have been handed other departments such as accounts payable and receivable, payroll, and real estate, information technology and even human resources. They’re expected to understand these functions, and lead them to better results.

On top of all that, senior management expects corporate treasurers and treasury executives to keep an eye out for new threats, and be ready to pay for them. For many AFP members right now, that means figuring out how to buy more cyberinsurance and cybersecurity.

Treasury executives wouldn’t have it any other way. When I speak to AFP members today, the conversation is very different than those that took place five years ago. “I’d love to talk,” they tell me, “but I’ve got to present to my CFO, CEO and the board.”

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This post was contributed by Ira Apfel, Director of Editorial Content at Association for Financial Professionals and a Global Finance Conference guest blogger.

CFO and CEO speakers at the conference include:

• Russell Wong, CFO, ADP Canada
• Emma Da Silva, CFO, Microsoft
• Ross Woledge, CFO Practice Leader, Odgers Berndtson
• Michael Ward, CEO Europe & North America, OzForex Canadian Forex
• David McIsaac, CFO, Northern Trust
• Angelo Valentini, CFO Cisco Canada
• Barbara Anderson, CFO, PanAm Games 2015 Toronto
• and others…click here to see more CFO speakers

This conference is for and about CFOs. If you’re a CPA, CMA, CGA, Controller, Corporate Treasurer, Finance Manager or Finance Director, this conference is for you. If you’re in the finance department, you must attend this conference. Corporate finance professionals and chartered accountants will benefit from this Toronto conference. Everyone in accounting will benefit from this conference.

For more information about the conference or if you’re a Corporate Treasurer who wants more information, review the agenda, or contact Daintry Springer (by email), Chair, 2014 Global Finance Conference.

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