Treasury Accelerate: on the up and gaining momentum
Published: Mar 2026
Treasury Accelerate is an exclusive programme created in collaboration with J.P. Morgan Payments and Treasury Today Group. Bringing together emerging treasury professionals to join a community that focuses on career progression and skills development with the aim of nurturing and fostering future treasury talent. The Treasury Accelerate community offers people at the beginning of their career the opportunity to join panel sessions and workshops on topics ranging from the technicalities of a TMS to digital currencies. The programme also brings insights from experienced treasurers to help people further down the career ladder learn from their expertise and build their network. In the first of a series of spotlight articles where junior treasury professionals on the up share their experiences, we hear from Max Howells. Max has just joined Tate & Lyle as Treasury Manager after six years at the John Lewis Partnership.
Max Howells
Treasury Manager
Tate & Lyle PLC is a leading global food and beverage ingredient solutions provider. Supported by its 165-year history of ingredient innovation, it partners with customers to provide consumers with healthier and tastier choices when they eat and drink. Through its leading expertise in sweetening, mouthfeel and fortification, it develops ingredient solutions which reduce sugar, calories and fat, add fibre and protein, and provide texture and stability to food and drink in beverages, dairy, bakery, snacks, soups, sauces and dressings. Tate & Lyle is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
How have you benefited from the Treasury Accelerate programme?
The most impactful element of the programme has been the opportunity to network with a cohort of peers at a similar career stage. Beyond the networking, the technical sessions, specifically those focused on Treasury Management System (TMS) upgrades, have been invaluable. People early in their career may not oversee a full system implementation, so gaining the perspective of people who have, prompted me to look more critically at how current systems can be optimised. Additionally, the recent session featuring career progression insights from current and previous Treasurers was incredibly timely as I prepare to transition from a Senior Analyst role at John Lewis to a Treasury Manager position at Tate & Lyle.
I’ve also been encouraged to bring my learnings back to the wider team, sharing key takeaways and best practices that can be applied to our current projects. This ensures that the programme’s impact extends beyond my own development and adds value to the entire team.
What achievement or milestone are you most proud of, and how has it helped shape your professional journey?
I am most proud of proposing and implementing a new commodity hedging programme at The John Lewis Partnership. As our supply chain fleet transitioned from diesel to renewable biomethane alternatives, I identified the emerging commodity risks associated with this shift. Designing a bespoke strategy to mitigate these exposures solidified my interest in the commodities side of treasury and highlighted the function’s role in supporting John Lewis’ sustainability goals.
The Treasury Accelerate initiative in collaboration with J.P. Morgan Payments and Treasury Today Group invites people new to treasury to join a community focused on nurturing and fostering future treasury talent. Consisting of panel sessions, workshops, networking sessions and spotlight profiles to help junior treasurers learn from industry experts and build their network.
