Treasury has never been broader.
Cash management, liquidity, FX, risk, funding, payments, technology, AI, ERP integrations… the list keeps growing. Yet one area continues to receive far less attention than it deserves: Trade Finance.
Recently, François Masquelier published an excellent article describing trade finance as “the corporate treasurer’s blind spot.” It is a thought-provoking observation. Not because treasurers underestimate its importance, but because many organisations simply don’t realise how specialised the field has become.
Trade finance sits at the intersection of treasury, banking, procurement, legal, logistics, and working capital. Letters of Credit, Guarantees, Documentary Collections, Supply Chain Finance, Export Finance… these are not activities most treasury teams deal with every day. When they do, they need people who have spent years building that expertise.
We’re seeing exactly that in the market.
Over the past month alone, Pecunia Treasury & Finance has been asked to support three separate trade finance assignments. That may not sound like a trend yet, but for such a specialised discipline within an already specialised profession, it certainly caught our attention.
The common denominator?
Companies aren’t looking for a general treasury professional who has “seen a Letter of Credit once.” They need specialists who understand:
- complex bank guarantee structures;
- documentary credits and collections;
- export and import financing;
- supply chain finance programmes;
- ICC rules and market practice;
- the operational processes behind trade transactions.
Finding those professionals is significantly harder than recruiting for more traditional treasury roles.
Trade finance is, in many ways, a niche within the treasury niche.
Fortunately, over the years we have built a network of experienced trade finance consultants who have worked on exactly these types of challenges. They are not available in large numbers, and demand appears to be increasing.
Perhaps that is the biggest takeaway from François’ article.
Trade finance is not disappearing into the background. If anything, geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain disruptions and increasing pressure on working capital are making it more relevant than ever. Organisations that invest in the right expertise will be better equipped to support international growth while managing risk effectively.
For treasury leaders, it may be time to ask a simple question:
Do we have trade finance covered… or are we assuming someone else does?
I’d also recommend reading François Masquelier’s article. It provides an excellent perspective on why trade finance deserves a much more prominent place in the treasury conversation. Read it here
And if these challenges sound familiar within your organisation, we’d be happy to discuss how Pecunia Treasury & Finance can support you with experienced trade finance specialists.
