From nurturing treasury talent to promoting Ireland as a destination of choice, the Irish Association of Corporate Treasurers (IACT) is nothing if not ambitious. As John James Dunne, founder of Elevate Treasury Advisory and a past President of the IACT, observes: “The scale of work delivered by the IACT Committee in such a short period has been truly remarkable.”

When Dunne joined the IACT committee in 2022, the association already had a well-established mentoring programme in place. “As a former mentee, I can personally attest to the impact of the mentoring programme. My mentor challenged me to reflect on my career, identify gaps in my experience and take meaningful steps to address them.” he says. “The programme played a pivotal role in my professional journey, and I can honestly say I would not be where I am today without it.”

At that point, the IACT also had a relatively new initiative in place called the IACT Academy. “The IACT Academy is a half-day training programme, typically delivered once or twice a year, designed to equip those new to treasury with practical knowledge across a broad range of core treasury topics.” says Dunne. “When I joined the committee, the Academy was still in its early stages. As the programme has matured and gained momentum, we’ve recently introduced a Level Two course that explores these topics in greater depth and further supports professional development.”

Developing the next generation of treasurers

When Dunne joined the IACT committee, his goal was to build on the strong foundations already in place and help support the development of the next generation of treasury professionals. “That ambition aligns with the IACT’s core charitable objective: to advance both the education and practice of corporate treasury,” he says.

As part of this, Dunne set up the Young Treasurers pillar. “My aim was to create a series of events throughout the year centred on key treasury topics, helping early-career professionals build their knowledge and confidence in the field,” he says. “Equally important was creating opportunities for them to connect with peers and expand their professional networks.” In the first two years, the event attracted over 200 young treasurers.

Another notable initiative during Dunne’s tenure as President of the IACT was the graduate programme, which was launched in conjunction with Trinity College Dublin. The collaboration built on Trinity’s established MSc in Finance programme, where the Corporate Treasury module was taught by Jason Murphy, the incoming President of the IACT. The initiative was designed to create a clear pathway into the treasury profession, giving students direct exposure to corporate treasury as a career, strengthening links between academia and industry, and helping to develop the next generation of treasury talent in Ireland.

“Our inaugural graduates joined a three-stage rotational programme designed to give them broad, hands-on exposure across different areas of treasury,” Dunne explains. “Historically, many treasury professionals would say they simply ‘fell into’ the profession. The Committee wanted to change that by creating a structured pathway into corporate treasury, the first initiative of its kind in the IACT’s history.”

More recently, the programme has continued to evolve in response to the needs of both graduates and employers. It has moved to a single longer-term placement model, enabling participants to gain deeper experience within one organisation, with successful placements in companies including Kellanova, ESB, FTI Treasury, Porsche and IKEA.

Professional diploma

A further initiative, delivered in conjunction with the Institute of Bankers (IOB) is the newly launched Professional Diploma in Corporate Treasury, which welcomed its first intake earlier this year. The programme combines academic rigour with practical industry insight, with both Murphy and Dunne contributing as lecturers.

“We welcomed 24 participants in the inaugural intake, and those who successfully complete the programme will earn the Certified Treasurer (CertTre) designation. This represents an important step in professionalising and recognising corporate treasury expertise in Ireland,” says Dunne. “Our ambition is for the qualification to become a recognised benchmark within the industry – one that employers increasingly view as a preferred, or even essential, credential for treasury professionals as the programme continues to grow in stature and reputation.”

Alongside IACT members, non-treasury individuals are also taking part in the course to enhance their own professional development and potentially move into corporate treasury. “It’s encouraging to see the programme attracting not only treasury professionals, but also finance professionals and individuals from financial institutions. It allows us to support professional development, raise awareness of treasury as a career, and showcase the opportunities the profession offers to a wider audience,” says Dunne.

The IACT offers the opportunity for individuals to apply for a scholarship for the programme – and awards will be offered to high-performing students.

Destination of choice

Where the bigger picture is concerned, Dunne says one of the IACT’s goals is to promote Ireland as a destination of choice for corporate treasury.

“Many multinational organisations across the US and Europe are looking for access to highly skilled, English-speaking treasury professionals.” he reflects. “To maintain Ireland’s position as a destination of choice, we need to continue investing in the next generation and building a pipeline of talent at every level – from graduates and treasury analysts through to treasury directors and group treasurers.”

He highlights the need to educate professionals early in their careers about the benefits of working in corporate treasury. “A key part of that is helping people understand the opportunities that a career in corporate treasury can offer from an early stage. Treasury is a dynamic and rewarding profession where no two days are the same. It offers exposure to a wide range of projects, a growing focus on technology and digital transformation, and the opportunity to become a trusted strategic partner to senior leadership.”

Looking forward, Dunne says the IACT’s current focus is on embedding level two of the IACT Academy, with future goals including supporting international bodies to promote Ireland as a destination for international treasury centres.

In the meantime, he encourages IACT members to nominate themselves for the association’s Annual IACT Award, which closes for nominations on 20th August. “One thing I would encourage our members to do is take the time to recognise their achievements. In treasury, when you deliver a major project or reach a significant milestone, the tendency is simply to move on to the next challenge,” Dunne concludes. “The Annual IACT Awards provide an opportunity to pause, reflect on that success and share it with the wider treasury community.”