Sharon Constançon, recently chaired a Valufin Round Table followed by an evening workshop to discuss the findings of the panel and contribute to the debate. Two of her Foreign Exchange Team (Darren Willlis and Rich Woodward) joined in for what proved to be an extremely productive and illuminating event.
The panel discussed the challenges faced by organisations in relation to FOREX management, examined losses incurred by companies through foreign exchange fluctuation and focussed on opportunities available to the companies in the import/export sector in terms of FOREX risk mitigation.
Issues covered were:
- Companies are declaring that they have suffered considerable year end losses owing to foreign exchange fluctuations. This is widely accepted as being a major risk to an importing and exporting company’s bottom line.
- Whilst the larger companies can afford to have full time Treasury Management, the SMEs have to establish ways of acquiring the same advice and risk management if they are to expand internationally and not create unacceptable risk to the business profitability.
- There is a discernible tendency for companies to either over protect against risk or, in the absence of knowing the degree of risk, to fail to protect themselves at all. Better knowledge will enable companies to avoid such polarised options.
Some of the questions examined were:
- What are the challenges facing FDs of importing and exporting companies?
- What knowledge is missing?
- How are risks determined?
- What information would Finance Directors, company owners, Boards need to do a better job?
The panel and feedback event provided a valuable chance to mutually inform and gain knowledge in an environment of like-minded peers. A White Paper will be published encapsulating the findings of all the discussions.
The next Valufin event is scheduled for 23rd February, 2016. Anyone interested in attending should contact events@valufin.com