Arecent Treasury & Risk article described the resultsof a Deloitte survey as pointing to an “evolution” of the corporate treasurer “from number cruncher topartner in strategic decision-making.” That evolution isoccurring at the same time that shifts in currency exchange rates are having an increasingly serious impacton financial statements in every corner of theorganization.

Volatility is way up this year in most major currencies. Andwhen, for example, the once-stable Swiss franc rises in value by 30 percent in a single day, thatswing will affect predictability and budgets from the C-suite tofinancial planning and analysis. Likewise, consider how theplummeting value of the euro would impact the supply chain andoperations teams in a company that is purchasing goods in poundssterling or dollars as inputs to a product that will sell ineuros.

The value of a strategic corporate treasurer extends in bothdirections: A strategic treasurer can help each corporate functiontake currency risks into consideration when making decisions aroundsupply chain management, pricing and sales terms, outsourcing,expansion plans, and many other areas of the business. While at thesame time, when other corporate functions are consulting regularlywith the strategic treasurer, that dialogue gives treasury a morecomprehensive global view that helps with optimizing the managementof currency risk for the business overall.