What is a typical day?
In treasury, no two days are the same in any given week but there is a daily rhythm to the job, and the work is always dynamic. I try and start each day with a clear idea of the decisions that I need to make, not just the tasks that I need to perform. We are a small, close-knit team, and that dynamic has allowed us to build real trust alongside the work – whether we are working through a treasury transformation initiative or navigating something that requires fast cross-functional coordination.
What is your leadership style?
I try to lead by example and context. The team knows I won’t ask them to do something I haven’t also done, and because I’ve done it before, I know what output to expect. It’s important that they understand why their work in treasury matters, and how it connects to the company and feeds into, say, financial reporting or the audit committee. I want the people in my team to see themselves as a strategic contributor rather than just operational support. They also know there is no such thing as a stupid question. In my mind, the most satisfying moments come from turning uncertainty into progress and seeing real results.
What is the most important ingredient for career success?
In treasury, the key ingredient is competence – execute a wire incorrectly, and the day quickly goes wrong. But excellence without visibility risks a stalled career, so success also hinges on learning how to make our contributions visible in rooms outside treasury, and the ability to communicate up: it’s great that the people you work with know you are a treasury rockstar, but this won’t necessarily be enough to move up your career.
Where do you tap into career support?
It’s one reason why I lean into my own personal board of directors, a group of people I’ve worked with – and many with a deep understanding of my job. They have become a key component of my success. They are my truth tellers; they celebrate my wins or tell me it wasn’t my best work; they challenge me and push me to say ‘yes.’
I try to lead by example and context. The team knows I won’t ask them to do something I haven’t also done, and because I’ve done it before, I know what output to expect.
What are your sources of motivation?
The complexity of my job keeps me engaged, and I do suffer from FOMO whereby I worry if I don’t do something or accept a task, I’ll end up missing out. However, it is finding solutions to the problems and processes that don’t have clean answers, or that it is possible to solve better and improve on (even when we do them every day) that really gets me up in the morning.
Of course, my team also motivates me, and I believe the people part of this job never gets old. For me, watching somebody finally buy-in to a process and understand it, brings a special pride and is important because it makes the team stronger. When I joined, two of my direct reports had no treasury experience and I’ve watched them progress from being nervous about hitting a button to move cash, to confidently executing and speaking the language of treasury and cash management fluently in a way that is music to my ears. It means a lot, watching my team come into their own.
The best part of cash management is that it’s real. A lot of finance is theoretical and can be unwound if the forecast is wrong, but cash is where the magic happens. Liquidity management requires cross functional collaboration and a level of urgency that is exciting. And unlike accountancy which mostly looks backward, cash is all about what is happening tomorrow or twelve weeks out and being ahead of the game in this way forces you to understand the business.
The best part of cash management is that it’s real. A lot of finance is theoretical and can be unwound if the forecast is wrong, but cash is where the magic happens.
I am motivated by rising to any challenge I face. Moments such as the internal negotiation between what I know I am capable of and what I am willing to claim out loud push me to move beyond hesitation, show up fully, and value every opportunity. I am also learning to pause and take stock before moving onto the next mile marker. My tendency is to get something over the finishing line and quickly look for the next progression. But it’s important to sit in the moment and give ourselves time to reflect, appreciate, and enjoy the achievement, rather than jump into the next thing. Yes, you can keep hungry but also, take a deep breath and celebrate.
I believe in sponsorship over mentorship. It’s the difference between giving advice or opening a door and saying, ‘you should be in the room’. If I am talking to the CFO about a treasury project, I won’t be shy to name the person behind the work and the effort they have put in, and I will suggest they present the finished project themselves. Sponsorship builds people’s confidence and levels the playing field.
What is the Black Women in Treasury group and why did you set it up?
This is a network I set up in 2023 to build something I didn’t have when I started out as a Black woman working in treasury. It’s a deliberately intentional and supportive community, housed in a WhatsApp group for now and functions as a peer network where members always have someone in their corner.
One of our first members asked if she should sit the CTP exam – I said ‘yes!’; it could just as easily be a query about treasury practice, a career move, or how to develop your professional brand. We celebrate each other’s wins and show up on webinars or in person when we are in the same city. Whatever the question, it’s safe to ask. The community fills a real gap because Black women remain underrepresented across the treasury profession and having a place where that is understood without explanation matters.
