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Building Treasury Careers - How Houston’s Top Treasurers Make Themselves and Their Teams Visible
What does it take to thrive as a treasury leader in today’s complex business environment? In this engaging panel discussion recorded LIVE at our recent event in Houston, we bring together three powerhouse treasury professionals - Brook Ballard, Jordan Timberlake, and Fred Schacknies - who pull back the curtain on their careers, leadership philosophies, and the real-world challenges they’ve faced. In this episode you’ll hear how they transitioned from banking and early finance roles into strategic treasury leadership, how they drive performance in hybrid teams, and why visibility, collaboration, and a strong sense of purpose are key to long-term success. Whether you're building your career or managing a treasury function, this candid conversation delivers invaluable insights and practical takeaways straight from the top of the profession.Meet the Guests: Brook Ballard – Most recently the Treasurer of Oceaneering InternationalA veteran treasury leader with experience spanning Anadarko, Live Nation, AIG, Cheniere, and Oceaneering. Brook shares insights from building treasury functions across diverse industries.Jordan Timberlake – Vice President, Treasurer and Investment Operations at Memorial Hermann Health SystemFormer banker turned treasury executive, Jordan discusses her career growth, managing investments and debt, and fostering team development in a major U.S. health system.Fred Schacknies – Vice President & Treasurer at TechnipFMC With a global background in FX, operations, and systems, Fred explores how treasury leadership has shifted from numbers to people and process.Main topics discussed: Career journeys from banking and other industries into treasury leadershipBuilding, scaling, and motivating treasury teamsThe impact of hybrid work and how it shapes collaboration in treasuryThe importance of cross-functional relationships and “Treasury 101” educationStrategies to increase the visibility and impact of the treasury functionInternships and talent pipeline development in treasuryThe importance of identifying your “why” in your careerAdvice for junior professionals on preparing for leadership rolesCreating metrics-driven environments and aligning treasury with corporate goals---🎙️ Subscribe to the Treasury Career Corner podcast - Never miss an episode! Hit subscribe on your favourite platform:🍏Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/treasury-career-corner/id1436647162🎧Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/641KUrhdoQPynLc1q2Guqn🎓 Save $150 on CTP, FPAC & AFP Boston 2025 - Exclusive discounts for treasury professionals – thanks to our trusted partners.🧠 Leadership Under Pressure - Practical tools and coaching that actually work –...
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How AFP and Its New CEO Pat Culkin Are Equipping Treasury Professionals for the Future
What does it take to transform a treasury-focused organization into a global powerhouse for finance professionals? In this episode, Pat Culkin, the incoming CEO of the Association for Finance Professionals (AFP), shares his fascinating career journey and insights on the evolving role of treasury in today's business landscape.Pat Culkin is the Executive Vice President and incoming President and CEO of the Association for Finance Professionals (AFP). With over two decades of experience at the organization, Pat has overseen global strategy, partner development, and organizational growth. As he steps into the CEO role, he shares his vision for AFP and the future of treasury and finance professionals worldwide.Main topics discussed: Pat’s unexpected entry into AFP from an external recruiting roleHow AFP evolved from a treasury-only body to a global finance professional hubThe changing landscape of treasury: from back-office to strategic leadershipUpskilling and the new baseline for professional growthThe impact of technology and AI on treasury functionsPat’s personal “why” and mission as AFP’s new CEOAFP’s approach to community building and global expansionThe importance of branding and networking for treasury professionalsHow early career engagement is shaping the future of the professionPractical advice for professionals looking to engage with AFPYou can connect with Pat Culkin on LinkedIn. ---🎙️ Subscribe to the Treasury Career Corner podcast - Never miss an episode! Hit subscribe on your favourite platform:🍏Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/treasury-career-corner/id1436647162🎧Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/641KUrhdoQPynLc1q2Guqn🎓 Save $150 on CTP, FPAC & AFP Boston 2025 - Exclusive discounts for treasury professionals – thanks to our trusted partners.🧠 Leadership Under Pressure - Practical tools and coaching that actually work – from the team at Gazing Leadership.🤝 Support for Your Treasury Career - From education to events, tech to training – meet the partners helping treasury professionals like you grow and succeed.👉 Explore your support network here - https://treasuryrecruitment.com/partners/
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“Think Like an Owner" Is the Best Career Advice I Ever Got
Frank Melaccio, Vice President, Finance & Treasurer at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, reveals how this mindset propelled his career from banking to executive leadership - and why it could do the same for you.Frank Melaccio is Vice President of Finance and Treasurer at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, one of the United States’ largest and oldest health insurers. With a career spanning banking, Big Four consulting, and health insurance, Frank brings a wealth of insight into strategic treasury, risk management, and the future of finance. He’s also an adjunct professor at Hofstra University’s Frank G. Zarb School of Business and a passionate advocate for continual learning and professional development.Frank holds an MBA in finance from Hofstra University and a BS in both finance and economics from Fordham University. He’s also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and a Certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM).Main topics discussed:Franks career journey: from commuting into Manhattan and dreaming of Wall Street to rising through regional banks and transitioning to health insurance.Frank's move from consulting at PwC during the financial crisis to leading treasury at a health insurer.Building ORSA models and becoming Chief Risk Officer in response to regulatory changes.Franks thoughts on CTP, CFA, CPA, and FRM - how to choose the right one for your path.The importance of team building and how leadership evolves with responsibility.Leveraging AI, coding, RPA, and treasury management systems to modernize and streamline processes.How teaching derivatives and healthcare finance keeps Frank sharp and benefits his corporate leadership.The power of adaptability, planning your path, and the dangers of chasing money over opportunity.You can connect with Frank Melaccio on LinkedIn. ---🎙️ Subscribe to the Treasury Career Corner podcast - Never miss an episode! Hit subscribe on your favourite platform:🍏Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/treasury-career-corner/id1436647162🎧Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/641KUrhdoQPynLc1q2Guqn🎓 Save $150 on CTP, FPAC & AFP Boston 2025 - Exclusive discounts for treasury professionals – thanks to our trusted partners.🧠 Leadership Under Pressure - Practical tools and coaching that actually work – from the team at Gazing Leadership.🤝 Support for Your Treasury Career - From education to events, tech to training – meet the partners helping treasury professionals like you grow and succeed.👉 Explore your support network here - https://treasuryrecruitment.com/partners/
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How To Build and Scale Treasury to Support Growth and Gain Stakeholder Buy-In
From building a treasury team from scratch with just a laptop to managing billions in assets and navigating four major corporate deals. This week on the podcast treasury leader Mike Tackley reveals what it really takes to scale treasury functions that drive business growth, earn stakeholder trust, and withstand economic turbulence.Mike Tackley, an experienced finance leader and most recently the Group Treasurer at Harbour Energy, shares the unconventional path that led him from night school and brown paper bags full of receipts to leading treasury strategy at one of the UK’s largest independent oil and gas companies. With decades of experience including a key role at BG Group before its $70B acquisition by Shell, Mike offers an insider’s perspective on treasury leadership during times of rapid scale and transformation.Main topics discussed:Mike’s unconventional entry into finance and treasuryHis pivotal career move from auditing to BG Group, and why internal controls were his gateway into treasuryHow Sarbanes-Oxley changed corporate treasury structures and complianceSetting up middle, back, and front office treasury functions from the ground upLessons learned managing credit risk during the 2008 financial crisisBuilding Harbour Energy’s treasury team post-BG and launching operations with no legacy systemsThe strategic use of Reserve Based Lending (RBL) to finance acquisitionsTreasury’s evolving role in M&A deals, cash flow forecasting, and regulatory reportingIntegrating treasury with the broader business through stakeholder educationTips for growing and hiring a high-performance treasury teamYou can connect with Mike Tackley on LinkedIn. ---🎙️ Subscribe to the Treasury Career Corner podcast - Never miss an episode! Hit subscribe on your favourite platform:🍏Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/treasury-career-corner/id1436647162🎧Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/641KUrhdoQPynLc1q2Guqn🎓 Save $150 on CTP, FPAC & AFP Boston 2025 - Exclusive discounts for treasury professionals – thanks to our trusted partners.🧠 Leadership Under Pressure - Practical tools and coaching that actually work – from the team at Gazing Leadership.🤝 Support for Your Treasury Career - From education to events, tech to training – meet the partners helping treasury professionals like you grow and succeed.👉 Explore your support network here - https://treasuryrecruitment.com/partners/---
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From a Blank Sheet: How to Set Up a Treasury Function from Scratch and Lead with Confidence
What does it take to rise through the ranks in treasury - from debt collection to leading the treasury function of a global engineering group? In this episode, we dive into the real, unfiltered treasury career journey of Emma Hayward, Group Treasurer of Dowlais Group plc, covering everything from early uncertainty to leading high-stakes corporate transformations.This week on the Treasury Career Corner, host Mike Richards sits down with Emma Hayward, Group Treasurer of Dowlais Group plc, a global engineering firm operating in the automotive sector. Emma shares her unconventional journey into treasury, lessons from working at industry giants like Merck and Tesco, and what it's really like to build a treasury team from scratch during a corporate demerger.Main topics discussed:Emma’s early steps in finance, banking, and her unexpected move into treasuryWorking in global treasury operations at a pharmaceutical companyLife inside Tesco’s treasury team pre and post-financial crisisHow Emma helped transform treasury’s role to be more strategic and integrated with commercial functionsExecuting Tesco’s first commodity trade and managing FX risk for thousands of productsLeading during financial uncertainty and a corporate credit downgradeSetting up a treasury function from scratch during a spin-offThe massive task of launching Dowlais Group’s treasury operations post-demergerEmma’s leadership principles and how she manages pressure and workloadAdvice on career growth, finding the right fit, and making strategic career decisionsYou can connect with Emma Hayward on LinkedIn. ---🎙️ Subscribe to the Treasury Career Corner podcast - Never miss an episode! Hit subscribe on your favourite platform:🍏Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/treasury-career-corner/id1436647162🎧Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/641KUrhdoQPynLc1q2Guqn🎓 Save $150 on CTP, FPAC & AFP Boston 2025 - Exclusive discounts for treasury professionals – thanks to our trusted partners.🧠 Leadership Under Pressure - Practical tools and coaching that actually work – from the team at Gazing Leadership.🤝 Support for Your Treasury Career - From education to events, tech to training – meet the partners helping treasury professionals like you grow and succeed.👉 Explore your support network here - https://treasuryrecruitment.com/partners/
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About The Treasury Career Corner

In this weekly podcast I interview Treasury professionals from across the globe about their treasury careers. I talk to them about their roles, how they built their careers, where they are now and where do they see both themselves and the treasury profession developing. Other areas we talk about include; -Career highlights and lowlights -Where they got their big break -What they see as key to their success -Where do their careers go from here? -What do they see as the future of the Treasury profession As a treasury recruitment company, we also explore treasury talent issues and what they believe is the future for treasury profession?

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