Sometimes I think I was born being a Treasurer. I learned how to manage my pocket cash when I was 7 years old. I was saving all the change in a small box and I was spending it very carefully making sure I had sufficient cash for later.Years later, I am an MBA Finance graduate with over 20 years of expertise in Treasury. Now I am managing liquidity on a much bigger scale. My professional journey has provided me with the opportunity to work in large international and multicultural companies. Born and raised in Kazakhstan to an international family with origins in both Poland and Korea. For the last 9 years, I am proud to call the Netherlands my home. I embody diversity in all aspects and I consider myself to be open-minded, keen to drive change and respectful towards other traditions and cultures. Outside of my work life, I love traveling, meeting new people and spending time with family and friends.
How did you get into the treasury profession?
My career began within an international oil and gas pipeline construction company based in Kazakhstan. During this period, I was fortunate to have a mentor, who introduced me to the fascinating world of Treasury and its various facets. I could not see myself in any other profession. Over the last 16 years, I have worked for a telecoms company undertaking various treasury roles which have been both enjoyable and challenging.
What are your main treasury tasks?
Currently, I manage VEON’s Treasury Operations team with our front office located in Amsterdam and the back office in Pakistan. My core focus is cash and risk management for our HQ entity and the upstreaming of available cash from operating companies together with the maintenance of the global treasury policy and controls. Additionally, my responsibility also includes keeping the TMS system up-to-date with a focus on reporting automation and straight-through processing.
What appeals to you about treasury?
The never-ending challenge is a significant appeal of my job. These challenges are often driven by changing market conditions or political/macroeconomic changes/geological situations or could be simply driven by a new project to implement. Dealing with diverse countries, currencies and regulatory environments adds to the appeal of the role. All of these challenges allow me to maximize my full potential and continue to evolve professionally and personally.
What challenge in your treasury career has impressed you most?
In one of my previous roles, I was the Global Treasury Business Owner bringing best practices to our operating companies and driving change. It is challenging to change the minds of people who have been following the same process for many years. However, it is so fulfilling to see people driving the change after they believe in these new ways of doing things. That’s the power of change and people are shaping a new Treasury landscape in this technological era.
Why is treasury such an interesting field?
Treasury is the most dynamic and interesting part of the Finance to me. It requires strategic thinking, risk management, financial competence, intelligence, and the ability to make and take decisions which I find both enjoyable and fulfilling.
DACT board membership
I was excited to join the DACT board in 2021 bringing international experience and greater diversity. We had a strong belief that DACT needed a change. One of the initiatives was the Women in Treasury network which has the great support of the female DACT community. We knew that there was a need but we didn’t envisage that there were so many members of DACT who were looking for such a platform to share their knowledge and support each other. We continue to strive to provide resources, education, and support to empower women in the treasury so they can achieve their aspirations and contribute to the success of their organizations.