Akbar Poonawala, Deutsche Bank's Americas Head of Global Transaction Banking, says that the crisis of 2008 and its ongoing aftermath has impacted the way that business is being done.   Today, cash management depends on a variety of sophisticated services designed to enhance efficiency and transaction visibility for companies around the world. Especially now there is increased focus on introducing innovative solutions that help Treasurers add value for their companies.  While many of these new services appear complex at first glance, they are built on the basic stepping stones of efficiency and transparency.

Deutsche Bank Global Transaction Banking's Shahrokh Moinian, Head of Trade Finance and Cash Management Corporates of the Americas, and Martin Runow, Head of Cash Management Corporates, North America, discuss the region's latest treasury management trends.

What are the corporate cash trends for North American multinationals?

Shahrokh Moinian (SM): Multinational corporate (MNCs) in the Americas are adapting to the great amount of change in terms of cash and treasury management.  With the need to increase controls while driving efficiencies, Treasurers are finding themselves going "back to the basics" as this often times holds the key to meet their objectives.   Focusing on centralization, automation and standardization facilitates the control corporates require, but also helps create other efficiencies at global, regional and local levels. Treasurers are using these processes for greater visibility of cash balances, more reliable cash flow forecasting, tighter cash flow control and enhanced process efficiency.  The challenges are really the same but intensified, and interestingly the answer often lies in the fundamentals.