Managing cashflow and liquidity for COVID-19 resilience

| 23-06-2020

Cash is king in uncertain times. Hence, it is vital to know how potential disruptions to operations can affect a company’s cashflow and liquidity.

 

In the face of COVID-19, many finance executives I’ve spoken to recently have voiced similar concerns and challenges. In rare occasions, some have shared that it presents unexpected opportunities for their businesses. Whether you’re facing unforeseen challenges or unexpected opportunities at this moment, it is likely you will need to consider the following:

 

  • Manage cash flows and liquidity with a mind to grow easily and effectively when the economy reopens
  • Reclaim VAT to generate cash and reduce operational expenditure
  • Increase controls around approval of supplier and customer payments, monitor cash inflows and outflows
  • Use AI and machine learning to optimize cash flow and working capital
  • Leverage data analytics to take advantage of favorable terms in negotiations and payment strategies
  • Pay on time, but don’t pay early, and if necessary, consider renegotiating payment terms
  • Get upfront visibility and control of large purchases
  • Maximize credit benefits, get the right spend on to PO, non-po, credit and cash to maximize your rebates and use of the credit available

 

In considering these, it was timely for me to gather the opinions of experts to be shared with the finance community. I invited a panel of experts to share their views in a live webcast – The CFO Perspectives – to be aired on 7 July 2020 at 1.30pm SGT. I will be moderating this panel with experts from PwC, StarHub and VAT IT, and I urge you to join us live by registering here.

 

Panelist Line-up: 

  1. Mr. Andy Watson, SVP & General Manager, SAP Concur Asia Pacific Japan & Greater China
  2. Mr. Brendon Silver, Chief Executive Officer, VAT IT, VAT reclaim
  3. Mr. Dennis Chia, Chief Financial Officer, StarHub
  4. Mr. Saurabh Jain, Partner, Management Consulting, PwC

 

I am also running a quick survey to understand key business concerns and how companies are optimizing cash flow to minimize the impact of economic disruption.

 

This webcast is organised in partnership with Association of Corporate Treasurers.