Greetings

Dear all members, partners and friends of ACTS,

Happy New Year!

On behalf of the EXCO, I hope that you have had a rejuvenating break over the festive season and a wonderful year-end holiday with family and close ones.

While we usher in the new decade and look forward to the exciting year ahead, let us continue the work that we have done to bring ACTS closer with the Treasury community and the different stakeholders in the finance eco-system within Singapore and beyond.

Encouraged, I am.

We are very appreciative by the many positive feedback that we have received for our inaugural ACTS Treasurers’ Asia Summit in October 2019. The EXCO and Secretariat thrived on our members’ and friends’ satisfaction!

That said, we do acknowledge that we have room for improvement. Even though, it was our first attempt at organising and running an event ourselves, it is never an excuse to not try and perfect our work. We humbly seek your understanding for our shortcomings.

We are thankful for our members’, sponsors’ and partners’ inputs and feedback. We have registered those helpful comments and we will try to implement the many constructive suggestions into our future events. Do bear with us, as it is impossible for us to arrive at a solution that fits and caters to each and every member – given that we have more than 200 members representing over 100 corporations amongst us. However, we sincerely hope that you will continue to share with us your thoughts and ideas. We are open to ideas – always.

We are working hard.

The EXCO and the Secretariat continue to build on the good work that our previous Presidents have done; the goodwill that we have garnered; and the good standing that ACTS has built over the years.

2020 will be an exciting year for ACTS.

Last year, we announced our theme – Connect, Collaborate and Co-Create. This year, we will continue to connect while we strike up collaborations with the different stakeholders in the eco-system and explore the potential co-creations between ACTS and our partners.

ACTS – Voice of the Corporate Treasurers

ACTS is proud to be involved in MAS’s steering committee to Drive the Interest Rate Benchmark Transition from SGD Swap Offer Rate (SOR) to Singapore Overnight Rate Average (SORA). Myself, together with Edoardo Sirtori, we are representing ACTS in MAS’s SC-STS chaired by Mr Samuel Tsien (CEO, OCBC).

Corporate Treasurers is part of the wider Finance eco-system, and we have a stake and a voice in it. This is not the first time ACTS is being engaged by MAS, we have previously worked and contributed in other projects like FX Code of Conduct.

In due time, we will reach out to you for your inputs and feedback on the many issues and uncertainty revolving around the impending change of interest rates benchmarks. ACTS serves as the voice of the corporate treasurer community.

Training & Development

We are finalising the finer details of a few exciting initiatives, and we do hope to announce them by the end of Q1 2020. The well-being of the Treasury professional, training and development are of paramount importance to each and everyone of us. We have heard your feedback over the years for training and development for the members. At this moment, we are striving to strike up a partnership with one of the leading institutions of higher learning to address this. We believe in lifelong learning and future proofing our members’ careers.

ESG

We might be Treasurers and Finance professionals, we are not only stewards of our organisations financial wealth but also current safekeepers of Mother Earth for our future generations. Environmental responsibility, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) are equally important areas of any corporation and professional individual.

ACTS will attempt to lead in driving ESG initiatives amongst our membership, and rope in the different stakeholders to at least raise the awareness of the pressing needs to address ESG topics and issues. Hopefully, we will be able to bring about a change in the corporate environment and sustain this initiative.

Pari Passu Relationships

ACTS believes in equality and we will endeavour to maintain an equal and open relationship with our friends and partners.  Many of us have responsibilities that stretches beyond the shores of Singapore, and many of us are affected by what is happening globally. We will continue to strike up partnerships and MOUs with the right counterparties.

Once again, I thank you for your support and contributions towards ACTS. Let us continue this exciting journey in 2020 and beyond together.

On behalf of,
Goh Seng Ti
President
Association of Corporate Treasurers (Singapore)