During a recent webinar, treasury practitioners based in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region discussed the value of earning the Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) designation.

Himashi Soriano, managing director of Asia-Pacific (APAC) for AFP, opened the discussion by emphasizing the value of the CTP. She noted that more than 35,000 professionals in 54 countries have earned the CTP, and nearly 2,500 people sit for the exam every year. “The CTP is recognized worldwide as the must-have certification for finance professionals working in the field of treasury management,” she said. “The reason for that is because it signifies that the individual has demonstrated appropriate knowledge and professional experience, passed a rigorous exam, agreed to abide by professional code of ethical conduct, and is committed to keeping his or her knowledge of the profession up to date.”

CLOSING KNOWLEDGE GAPS

Gevin Lee, CTP, vice president of treasury for steel products manufacturer NS Bluescope Pte. Ltd., emphasized the value of the education that comes along with earning the CTP. With a background in corporate investment and project financing, Lee recognized some knowledge gaps when he made the jump to treasury. 

“In my last position, I was actually heading a full-fledged treasury team for the group itself,” he said. “I'm proficient in terms of financing and all, but I realized that I do have a lot of gaps in the other aspects of treasury function, particularly liquidity. So, I was looking for a platform and maybe a certification whereby I can upscale my knowledge and competency.”

Lee found all he needed in the CTP, as it was able to provide him with the knowledge on cash management, trade finance, auditing, etc. that he had previously found difficult to collect. “I think that using CTP platform itself, I actually upscaled myself and I learned a lot,” he said. “Being a lead for the team itself, I think the newly acquired knowledge itself enabled me to actually guide and mentor my team, as well as transform how we are doing things.”

NEW PERSPECTIVES AND OPPORTUNITES

Similar to Lee, Chiver Tham, CTP, senior associate, treasury operations for animal medicine and vaccine producer Zoetis, was also looking for training that would help him better understand the scope of treasury. Early in his career, he had encountered a problem that many treasury professionals know all too well—the lack of a formal treasury curriculum in college.

“There isn't really a specific course or a certification of what I studied in college and university that actually specifically caters to treasury,” he said. “So actually [the CTP] fits what I was looking for, and I think it helps a lot in terms of getting the specific knowledge, especially in cash management where I am right now and even in foreign exchange.”

The CTP also gave Tham a better sense of the structure of his own treasury team—how it operates, how the staff supports each other, how efficient they are in terms of managing cash and bank accounts, etc. “It definitely gives me a better and a different perspective than before when I do not have the certification,” he said.

Additionally, earning the CTP also presented Tham with networking opportunities that he didn’t have before. He now participates in AFP events, which in turn have helped him in his position. “I can actually network with a lot of the fellow treasury professionals, sharing tips and sharing what they do and sharing what I do,” he said. “So the events, the whole thing actually, gave me a broader perspective of the treasury scope itself.”

Learn more about the Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) designation.

---

PARTNER CONTENT: