From trade issues to hurricanes, and from political upheaval to cybersecurity breaches and everything in between, multinationals today face dozens—or, more accurately, hundreds—of potential crises lurking in the shadows of global markets. These vulnerabilities put not only revenue at risk, but also supply chains, investments, access to corporate cash, and even timely disbursements of payments such as payroll for overseas employees.

"The last 10 years have been very interesting for anybody in international cash management," says Jim Scurlock, head of cash management for Microsoft. Staying ahead of all the myriad risks requires today's treasury teams to be vigilant about identifying potential exposures, to proactively intervene when possible, and to collaborate with other groups throughout the organization.