You’ve had a unique career path, moving from professional sport into the banking world. Could you outline your career journey and how that transition unfolded? What are your biggest areas of focus today?

My journey began on the tennis court, where I competed at the highest levels of junior and professional tennis. The focus, discipline, decision making, adaptability and resilience I honed in sports laid the foundation for my approach to business. Transitioning into the corporate world, I started at McKinsey & Company and then moved into leadership roles at General Electric, Citibank, and ultimately J.P. Morgan Payments.

Each step brought me closer to understanding how complex organisations function – from strategy to execution. Having worked in strategy, transformation, product, and client relationship management in different cultures and geographies, I bring a cross-functional perspective, which allows me to connect the dots across the firm to drive both execution and innovation.

Today, as the Global Head of Sales Success for J.P. Morgan Payments, my focus is on empowering our global salesforce to thrive by aligning vision, process and talent to deepen client relationships and deliver meaningful growth.

How do you define a ‘corporate athlete’? What key characteristics, habits, and/or skills make someone a successful corporate athlete?

An athlete is someone with a deep sense of purpose, whose journey is a relentless pursuit of excellence driven by a clear aspiration and an unwavering determination fuelled by grit—a combination of passion and resilience. Athletes dream big and focus on what they can control: preparation, owning their decisions, overcoming hard moments, adapting plans, learning from mistakes and moving forward. Athletes are self-motivated, pushing themselves outside of their comfort zone, leaving no room for complacency. And, athletes measure everything on their performance, because what you don’t measure you can’t improve. In doing so, they elevate themselves and those around them, raising the bar for excellence.

To me, a corporate athlete is someone who brings the same level of intentionality, discipline, and endurance to their career as a professional athlete brings to their sport. It’s about consistently showing up with purpose, setting clear goals, staying focused on what really matters, measuring performance, learning to recover quickly, and developing the mental resilience to push beyond perceived limits. For me, these are the key traits of athletes:

• Clarity of purpose: knowing your ‘why’ and aligning your actions with it.

• Focus: managing your energy in what really matters, isolating the external noise, staying centred on the goal.

• Excellence: leading yourself with heart, always striving to be the best version of yourself.

• Resilience under pressure: embracing challenges as growth opportunities and bouncing back quickly.

• Disciplined, consistent and adaptable execution: preparing thoroughly to perform at your highest level, day after day, and asking for constant feedback to evolve. Most importantly, understanding the role the team plays in achieving success, and how crucial it is to share a common goal, motivate each other, and be intentional and disciplined in everything you do. Athletes strive to inspire themselves and others to raise the bar.

What’s driving treasurers to step beyond the traditional scope of their roles?

In today’s dynamic business environment, treasurers are evolving from their traditional roles as guardians of cash and liquidity to become strategic advisors and catalysts for business growth. At the same time, technology is disrupting business models, particularly in light of the following five key trends:

1. Complex global markets: treasurers are tasked with navigating intricate global markets, providing strategic insights that go beyond financial stewardship. Their ability to interpret complex market dynamics is crucial for informed decision-making.

2. Real-time data and insights: the demand for instantaneous access to data and actionable insights is paramount. Treasurers leverage advanced analytics to deliver precise forecasts and drive efficiency, aligning financial strategies with business objectives.

3. Embedded finance and digital ecosystems: the rise of embedded finance and digital ecosystems is reshaping the financial landscape. Treasurers integrate these innovations to streamline operations and unlock new revenue streams.

4. Focus on risk, resilience, and ESG: treasurers play a pivotal role in aligning financial strategies with corporate values, emphasising risk management, resilience, and ESG factors.

5. AI integration: artificial intelligence enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and improves decision-making, optimising treasury processes and data management.

To thrive in this transformative environment, treasurers can cultivate a set of three critical skills around technology, change and global perspective to drive their organisations forward:

• Technological savvy: mastery of advanced technologies to drive efficiency, enable decision-making, and facilitate new business opportunities.

• Transformational leadership: foster collaboration across departments, ensuring seamless integration of business, technology, and finance functions.

• Global thinking: embrace a global perspective while addressing regional requirements and constraints, adapting to real-time needs and AI-driven changes.

In summary, treasurers are evolving into strategic advisors and catalysts for business growth, leveraging technology, transformational leadership, and global thinking to navigate the complexities of today’s business environment. Their ability to integrate these skills positions them as essential partners in driving organisational success and transformation.

How can treasurers deploy the attributes of a corporate athlete to serve as strategic business partners?

Treasurers, much like corporate athletes, can benefit from cultivating a diverse skill set to perform well. While financial expertise remains foundational, the integration of technology and soft skills is increasingly vital. To thrive in this expanded role, it is important to have:

• Strategic vision combined with focused execution: to me, a starting point is a clear definition of the north star, a measurable goal that will allow the organisation to channel its energy in what really matters to accomplish its goals. Treasurers can align the strategic vision and financial and business objectives by providing insights and forecasts, which guide decision-making and contribute to the organisation’s growth and success.

• Agility and adaptability: like a corporate athlete, treasurers are faced with adapting to market trends, regulatory changes, and technological advancements, so they can make informed decisions that align with business goals.

• Endurance and resilience: treasurers have to effectively manage risks, ensuring liquidity and safeguarding the organisation’s financial health, in order to navigate complex financial landscapes and support long-term business sustainability.

• Collaboration and teamwork: just as athletes rely on teamwork, treasurers can foster collaboration across departments. By building strong relationships with business, technology, and finance teams, treasurers can ensure seamless integration of functions and drive collective success.

• Continuous improvement: corporate athletes are committed to continuous improvement. In practice, that looks like embracing a mindset of learning and development, staying updated on industry best practices, enhancing their skills, and leveraging new technologies to optimise processes and drive efficiency.

Ultimately, this means showing up as leaders who bring energy, focus, and a growth mindset to their roles. By embodying the attributes of a corporate athlete, they can inspire their teams, elevate organisational performance, and contribute to the strategic success of the business.

How do you draw on your own experiences to help corporate clients succeed in the current environment?

My diverse background gives me a unique lens to understand the pressures of performing on the global stage, whether in a final set or a boardroom. As an athlete, I am biased to take action guided by a clear goal that inspires and aligns teams behind a shared purpose and moving with discipline while staying motivated. Driving change is a balancing act between having the right strategy, focusing on execution, and bringing the team along the journey.

My focus is to live my life at my fullest potential and inspire the people and clients I work with to do the same. With my team, we aim to deliver value, build trust, and ensure that our solutions meet or exceed our clients’ expectations. When we achieve this, we earn the right to stand beside our clients as trusted partners invested in their success.

What advice do you have for others looking to create real change within their organisations?

Change doesn’t happen by accident. It takes vision, courage, and consistency. My advice:

1. Start with purpose: be clear on the “why” behind the change.

2. Communicate your vision: change is a team sport. Ensure people see what’s in it for them and create momentum.

3. Take action fast: don’t let perfect be the enemy of progress.

4. Stay focused: don’t let noise interfere with your mission.

5. Measure and adapt: celebrate wins but always look for the next edge.

And perhaps most importantly, stay grounded in your values. The most effective changemakers lead with authenticity, resilience, and empathy.