Lessons from the credit crunch

Liquidity management has taken on greater significant since the financial crisis and credit crunch. International Payments asked some leading transaction banks for their views on the issue and their future plans

IP: What were the main lessons learned during the credit crunch about liquidity management?

Phillip Lindow, global head of international liquidity and investment management, global transaction services, RBS: The primary lesson was a reassertion of the importance of effective liquidity management in an environment of expensive and limited credit. Previously, the financial markets were a willing source of funding for companies with working capital needs. Amidst the crisis, corporate treasurers were forced to consider other sources of funding, and thus re-focused their attention internally. One of treasurers’ key priorities in the current environment is to self-fund and reduce their reliance on potentially unreliable and vulnerable external sources of finance.