After graduating from CamEd Business School, Sovanna Tang, CTP, took a job with EY as a senior associate, where he largely worked in audit. He then switched to Hattha Bank and worked as an accounting specialist. “The work in financial reporting is complicated at first, but eventually it is quite mundane and becomes routine,” said Tang. That’s when he decided to make the transition to capital liquidity control, where the focus is mainly on ensuring the reporting is correct and complete. However, what Tang likes about capital and liquidity work is that “it will enable me to understand decisions made on an operational level in various situations, which is a more exciting career path.”

Celebrating a year with Maybank 

Tang joined Maybank in May of 2021 as its capital and liquidity manager, where he is required to monitor the bank’s liquidity position for short-term and long-term prospects on a daily basis. Occasionally, this also includes detailed planning for capital required to align with business growth. 

When asked what skills help him to successfully do his job, Tang said cash flow forecasting and scenario planning are both highly applicable. 

One of the most critical issues Tang faces in his current job is outdated policies and procedures. He said that lessons provided as part of the CTP certification provided him with standardized instruction on how to properly establish policies and procedures, and serves as a reliable resource for comparison, enabling him to discover what may be missing in an old policy or procedure.

“Understanding the requirements and loopholes of existing practices is vital when designing policies and procedures,” said Tang. “Once that’s established, getting relevant stakeholders to on-board and align with the policy is equally important.” 

Working in an emerging market 

Cambodia is in the midst of a development period in terms of its money market. This understanding the risk aspect of the business and money market products necessary and relevant in the near future, which is something Tang is working to develop.  

Because the money market is still emerging in Cambodia, Tang feels that there will be opportunities for one to grow with it. He points to the knowledge gap that exists between information on money markets when the market is mature versus an emerging market transitioning to a mature market. While he feels well prepared for the latter, the state of flux in which Cambodia is currently in is something he wishes to explore for his own growth in the profession.

The CTP suited him

“The CTP course is easy to understand, and it covered all necessary foundations and intermediate knowledge on treasury, which is suitable for my roles and responsibilities,” said Tang. More specifically, it provided information on risk management (enterprise/financial risk), which is something he was not aware of before taking the course. He added that it helps him better understand his job and to communicate risk with other departments.

In terms of career growth, Tang said the CTP credential provided him with valuable insight into how to approach complicated issues in his job. And the acknowledgement the credential evokes from professionals around the world led him to discover more career opportunities in different fields. “There are resources available, as well as community discussion in the CTP platform,” said Tang. “Reading through that information provided me with a different point of view from which to approach certain issues. One example of this is using automation to resolve data inaccuracy.” 

When it comes to recommending the CTP to others, Tang believes that if you’re seeking a way to further develop your career in treasury, or to transition to treasury, the CTP is a great option. “It is a relatively short amount of time you’re required to invest,” he said. “Plus, the course is designed to be clear and precise, making it all the more valuable for busy finance professionals.” 

Are you looking to make the transition to treasury, or do you want to further develop your treasury aptitude? Get started on your journey to earning the CTP today.