Editorial

Springing into step

As we bring you our March/April edition of the magazine we explore the essential issues for the APAC treasurer against a backdrop of global disruption and unsettling political developments.

In times of challenge and uncertainty it is never more important to come together as a community to share best practice and to learn from one another. So, we are delighted to bring you our features for this edition as well as updates on our programme of activities for 2022. The Adam Smith Awards Asia 2022 will open for nominations on June 6th and we are planning a physical/virtual hybrid celebration to take place at the end of the year in Singapore. We are also preparing for a physical return for our Women in Treasury APAC Forum and associated activities at the end of the year, as well as continuing to deliver hybrid/virtual events to ensure wherever our community members are located that they can access our resources.

There is no one size fits all approach for the region and we explore the specificities of an exciting country with bold plans, which is Japan. Long known as being very paper based, with practices like the hanko ‘chop’ or seal, the country has been forced to digitise by the ongoing pandemic and this has brought unforeseen changes and altered the future vision of the island country. We look at the rise of digital currencies, a trend in all industries and a topic of conversation in many restaurants, cafes and bars across the world, what do the peaks and troughs associated with these new types of currencies mean for corporate treasurers and how can they fit into your plans?

In recent years, Singapore has become synonymous with innovation and is pioneering innovative approaches to, well, just about most things. What does this mean for treasury based there, as the drive for collaboration and new ideas extends to all things financial and technological as well as sustainability and more? Elsewhere in this issue, alongside our Corporate View and This Much I Know features, we assess global trends including funding and investing and take a deep dive into sustainable treasury, exploring the role that treasurers play in the variety of activities associated with corporations’ efforts in sustainability.

We hope you enjoy this edition and, as ever, we exist to serve our readership and our corporate community. Therefore, if you have any feedback, ideas or topics you would like to see us explore, then please don’t hesitate to reach out.