Risk & Compliance

Asian corporates are looking beyond preconceptions about the role of fractional chief financial officers amid a global talent shortage and, in particular, among smaller firms with a close eye on costs. Paul Golden reports.

Amid a strong bond market, the government is prioritising taxes, tax agreements and talent, to encourage more firms, including from Belt and Road countries, to set-up treasury centres in the SAR; proposals will be sent to LegCo in 2027.

As the war in Iran drags on, the Small Industries Development Bank of India has been handed a capital infusion to improve credit flow to MSMEs in rural areas, support technology initiatives and to partner with local banks.

Philip Kam, APLMA's CEO, believes that SLLs shouldn't "drown businesses in paperwork".

The central bank has tightened rules on cash purchases of foreign currency to help stabilise the rupiah; government spending in Q1 helped spur the country's strongest GDP in several years.

As geopolitical shocks compress planning horizons and AI reshapes finance, Asia's finance professionals are rebuilding and reassessing their functions, said an expert panel from Henderson Land, Chai Tai Fook Enterprises and SF Supply Chain.

From supply chain disruptions, shifting assumptions around rates and tenant fragility, CFOs and treasurers are dealing with the ripple effects of uncertainty across balance sheets, according to a panel at CTWeek.

As oil prices soar, one senior economist argues the currency is "adjusting to a new global equilibrium". Foreign investors pulled over $10bn from Indian shares in March and the RBI is introducing controls on banks' FX positions.

The war in the Middle East is causing market volatility leaving Apac treasurers and finance professionals needing to check a large number of variables.

The US president wrote about talks with Iran on his social media platform after giving Iran a 48-hour ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz. Stock markets in Apac fell heavily on March 23.

An increasing number of Asian companies are holding cryptocurrency on their balance sheets as a treasury asset, however, there is a reluctance to discuss strategy and potential pitfalls. Paul Golden reports.

The Fed is concerned about inflation coming from tariffs and energy prices. An attack on the world's largest gas facility is increasing concerns of a prolonged conflict in the Middle East as the price of oil soars above $110 a barrel. Many Asian countries are taking emergency measures.