A couple of decades ago, companies were expanding into India in droves. More recently, China has been a hot spot for global expansion. Some say it's now Africa's turn. Regardless of which geography a company is considering, if it's looking to move into a region that is unfamiliar, it is going to rely on its treasury and finance team to step up.

To get a handle on what a treasury team needs to learn, and to do, in order to support a business moving into a new emerging market, Treasury & Risk sat down with Mark Chiaviello. As head of corporate banking for Standard Bank in North America, Chiaviello has a clear view of African markets. Standard Bank was founded 150 years ago in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and now operates in 19 African countries with headquarters in Johannesburg.

The lessons Chiaviello imparted can serve treasurers and finance teams well, regardless of which geography their organization is entering.