Webinar Series: Balance Sheet Hedging

Program Overview

FX Initiative cordially invites you to attend our webinar series. Join us and learn how to hedge FX receivables & payables and mitigate FX gains & losses. This Balance Sheet Hedging webinar will teach you how to hedge foreign exchange (FX) receivables and payables to mitigate FX gains and losses on the Income Statement. We will begin by defining the concept of a balance sheet hedge, and explore why is it often viewed as the foundation of many corporate FX risk management programs. We will break down the impact of how FX receivables and payables, which are known as underlying positions, produce FX gains and losses on the financial statements from mark-to-market accounting treatment. We will then explore how to offset those underlying FX gains and losses on the Income Statement by hedging with forward contracts to reduce periodic earnings volatility. Finally, we examine best practices for optimizing balance sheet hedges by considering details such as accounting booking rates, netting of exposures, and adjusting hedges as balances change from cash inflows and outflows.

Learning Objectives

1. Discover the concept of a foreign exchange (FX) balance sheet hedge program.
2. Recognize how FX receivables and payables impact the financial statements.
3. Explore how forward contracts can be used to mitigate FX gains and losses.
4. Identify best practices for optimizing and adjusting balance sheet hedges.

Who Should Attend?

New and seasoned finance, accounting, treasury, and related professionals (CPA, CIA, CRMA, CFE, etc.) interested in international business.

Webinar Series: FX Forward Contracts

Program Overview

FX Initiative cordially invites you to attend our webinar series. Join us and learn what forward contracts are and why they are the most used derivative. This FX Forward Contracts webinar will explain what forward contracts are and why they are the most used foreign exchange (FX) derivative among multinational corporations. We begin with a basic understanding of over-the-counter (OTC) foreign currency derivatives that are sold by commercial banks as part of their international treasury and risk management products. We will then delve into the fundamentals of forward contracts, including long and short positions and forward point premiums and discounts. Additionally, we will examine the payoff profile of a forward contract and review the economic cash flow and financial reporting implications. To conclude, we will look at the overwhelming popularity of forward contracts using the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) FX data as well as highlights from the annual reports (10-K) of several multinational corporations that deploy forward contracts to hedge currency risk.

Learning Objectives

1. Discover the concept of over-the-counter (OTC) foreign currency derivatives.
2. Identify what forward contracts are and how forward points are calculated.
3. Recognize the payoff profile, economics and accounting of forward contracts.
4. Explore why forward contracts are the most used FX derivative by corporations.

Who Should Attend?

New and seasoned finance, accounting, treasury, and related professionals (CPA, CIA, CRMA, CFE, etc.) interested in international business.

Webinar Series: FX Risk Management Policies

Program Overview

FX Initiative cordially invites you to attend our webinar titled “FX Risk Management Policies” on Thursday, October 15th, 2020 at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern. Join us for a continuing professional education (CPE) program and earn CPE credit as we learn how to draft a corporate foreign exchange risk management policy. This FX Risk Policy webinar will address the basics for drafting a foreign exchange risk management policy. We begin with best practice policies for pricing and booking foreign exchange (FX) transactions that enable a corporation to retain the FX risk rather than the customer, supplier or vendor. We then discuss how FX personnel, resources and operations are incorporated into a policy document that serves as a guideline for managing foreign exchange risk. Furthermore, we will cover the essential elements of a formal written FX risk management policy, including which FX exposures to hedge, how to handle counterparty credit risk, segregation of duties (SOD), internal controls, and reporting among other areas. Lastly, we will observe how FX risk policy language is disclosed in corporate annual reports (10-K) using the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings of multinational corporations as real-world examples.

Learning Objectives

1. Discover best practice policies for pricing and booking foreign exchange (FX) transactions.
2. Recognize how to incorporate FX personnel, resources, and operations into a policy document.
3. Identify the essential elements of a formal written corporate FX risk management policy.
4. Explore how FX risk policy language is disclosed in corporate annual reports (10-K).

Who Should Attend?

New and seasoned finance, accounting, treasury, and related professionals (CPA, CIA, CRMA, CFE, etc.) interested in international business.

Webinar Series: Mastering FX Risk Management

Program Overview

FX Initiative cordially invites you to attend our webinar titled “Mastering Currency Risk Management” on Thursday, October 1st, 2020 at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern. Join us for a continuing professional education (CPE) program and earn CPE credit as we address the fundamental concepts of corporate foreign exchange (FX) risk management. This informational session will share best practices on how to identify, analyze, execute, and optimize a foreign exchange (FX) risk management program. Participants will learn how to assess a firm’s FX risk profile using a step-by-step analysis framework, the four approaches for managing FX risk, the impact FX risk has on the financial statements, and key terminology and takeaways for building a world class FX risk management program.

Learning Objectives

1. Discover how leading multinational corporations identify foreign exchange (FX) risk, including transaction, translation, and economic risk.
2. Explore how to analyze FX risk management strategies, including balance sheet hedging, cash flow hedging, and net investment hedging.
3. Identify key considerations when executing FX risk management plans, including the importance of strategy, policy and financial reporting.
4. Recognize approaches to optimizing FX risk management plans by investing in personnel, resources, and operations to improve results.

Who Should Attend?

New and seasoned finance, accounting, treasury, and related professionals (CPA, CIA, CRMA, CFE, etc.) interested in international business.

Promoting Business Best Practices

Join us and learn business best practices safely from home. WindyCityWebinars.org is a student led project from FX Initiative that promotes the highest caliber, most innovative continuing professional education (CPE) for lifelong learning. Our CPE webinars help professionals and organizations stay current on the latest regulations, developments, and trends in finance, accounting, and related business industries while earning CPE credits to maintain professional credentials.

Our teaching approach balances:

• Business school academic theory
• Practical strategies for implementation
• Examples to illustrate key concepts
• Audience polling questions
• Question and answer sessions

We invite you to attend a learning session as we fulfill our mission to keep learning alive and accessible to all during the pandemic and beyond. Our webinars cover a broad range of useful knowledge, skills, and abilities that enhance professional competence. Our objective is to ensure that knowledge is not only transferred and retained, but reinforced and practiced, enhancing each participant’s confidence in their ability to improve performance and profitability. Register here >

Student & Sponsor Synergies

In only 3 months, the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the majority of in-person classrooms and conference rooms to online learning platforms and video based communications. While we are grateful for the technology innovations that have made this transition possible, we are mindful progress remains. In listening to our community, sentiment among students and professionals shows that engagement with classmates and colleagues feels distant. WindyCityWebinars.org is providing a solution.

We facilitate collaborative projects to create continuing professional education (CPE) webinars between corporate sponsors and student leaders to realize synergies and foster community. From real world and case study examples to academic theory, we work with sponsors to create CPE credit eligible webinars on business topics that complement products & services and support training & marketing objectives. Each webinar is enhanced by students using knowledge from their academic major.

During this period of isolation, it is clear that students and professionals alike are seeking creative ways to keep learning alive and communities thriving. WindyCityWebinars.org believes that investing in people is paramount to success. To that end, we warmly invite business leaders to invest in a CPE webinar project. As Napoleon Hill famously stated, “Within every adversity is the seed to an equal or greater benefit.” To learn about sponsor benefits, contact info@windycitywebinars.org.

Involving Student Interns

FX Initiative is pleased to welcome and support student interns in summer 2020. Internships are designed to help students add substantive and unique experience to their resumes. Our goal is to provide students with opportunities to gain work experience, explore career paths, develop and refine skills, network with professionals, and build confidence as they earn compensation and transition into the workforce.

To facilitate our internship program this summer, we are participating in DePaul’s Coleman Entrepreneurship Center's Startup Internship Program, which gives undergraduate students hands-on experience working closely with founders on specific projects at a local Chicago startup. The 2020 summer internship program is a remote opportunity to help stay engaged in meaningful work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These internships are designed to be experiential learning opportunities for students and a chance to see first-hand the challenges that startups face. Interns will be working on significant tasks that contribute to the success of the organization. Areas of involvement include performing market research, creating educational content, developing marketing and sales strategies, and enhancing website functionality.

FX Initiative remains committed to keep learning alive and accessible to all with continuing professional education (CPE) programs that promote business best practices. With a focus on the Chicago community, we welcome business leaders and corporate sponsors to contact us about working with our student interns on innovative CPE training and marketing initiatives. To learn more, contact support@fxinitiative.com.

Windy City Summit Webinar

With the cancellation of the 2020 Windy City Summit, our originally planned live learning session will be held remotely. Registration for this program is open to the public. If you are a Windy City Summit sponsor or attendee and would like to learn more about remote learning opportunities, please contact us at support@fxinitiative.com.

Please join us for this educational webinar on Mastering Currency Risk Management, which addresses best practices on how to identify, analyze, execute, and optimize a foreign exchange (FX) risk management program. This informational session covers the fundamental concepts of corporate foreign exchange (FX) risk management, including how to assess a firm’s FX risk profile using a step-by-step analysis framework, the four approaches for managing FX risk, the impact FX risk has on the financial statements, and key terminology and takeaways for building a world class FX risk management program.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Discover how leading multinational corporations identify foreign exchange (FX) risk, including transaction, translation, and economic risk.
2. Explore how to analyze FX risk management strategies, including balance sheet hedging, cash flow hedging, and net investment hedging.
3. Identify key considerations when executing FX risk management plans, including the importance of strategy, policy, and financial reporting.
4. Recognize approaches to optimizing FX risk management plans by investing in personnel, resources, and operations to improve results.

We are a Chicago based organization, and similar to the Chicago Fire of 1871, we are committed to offering a rewarding “silver lining” experience by salvaging the summit’s valuable learning opportunities. Please join our webinar on Wednesday, May 20th 2020 on Mastering Currency Risk Management by registering here.

Supporting Student Portfolio Projects

WindyCityWebinars.org, a remote learning project in development with FX Initiative and DePaul’s Coleman Entrepreneurship Center, is pleased to share our Student Application to complete a webinar portfolio project related to their academic major. Portfolio projects are designed to connect students with internship and employment opportunities by showcasing their learning abilities, skillsets, and work ethic to create educational programs presented to the Chicago business community.

Webinar portfolio projects are designed for ambitious students looking for a structured experience to help add something substantive and unique to their resumes and portfolios in summer 2020. With more and more internships cancelled, jobs on hold, and a summer in flux, this opportunity is meant to provide an approach for students to effectively use their summer and participate meaningfully in a community of professionals to gain experience and unlock potential opportunities in the future.

Students will be part of a robust and diverse community producing high quality continuing professional education (CPE) programs in business fields of study. WindyCityWebinars.org is focused on creating win-win-win outcomes that benefit our student contributors, corporate sponsors, and community of professionals as we fulfill our mission to keep learning alive and accessible to all during the COVID-19 pandemic.

All college students are welcome to apply. This interest form is designed to provide background information on student applicants to help identify and plan out each webinar project. Students should expect to spend 10-15 minutes answering the 10 questions. To get started, complete the application using the link below to be considered for this unique opportunity with WindyCityWebinars.org.

Student Application - Webinar Portfolio Project: https://forms.gle/NiQ1RAiTS3tKE6M69

Teaching Treasury Management Topics

To keep learning alive and accessible to all during the COVID-19 pandemic, WindyCityWebinars.org is an innovative student led and sponsor driven project in development with DePaul University and the Chicago business community.

As we plan our summer learning series, we are working with speakers and sponsors to create a training agenda focused on treasury management best practices. To participate, we are now accepting presentations on the following topics:

• Banking & Relationship ​Management: Corporate banking challenges & opportunities.
• Fraud & Compliance: Compliance, internal controls, regulatory requirements, etc.
• Investments & Liquidity Management: Portfolio returns, investment goals, budgeting, funding.
• Treasury Management Essentials: Treasury trends, best practices, and integration options.
• Banker Topics: ​Banker and financial service provider best practices.
• Insurance Solutions​: Business risk and insurance strategies for success.
• Professional ​Development: Career planning and skills to enhance your marketability.
• Treasury ​Technology: FinTech, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, etc.
• Corporate Finance: Financial planning & analysis, and capital structure.
• International Treasury Management: Global payments, cash management, and trade.
• Risk Management: Foreign currency & interest rate risk management.
• Working Capital Management: Working capital efficiency and maximization tactics.

For credentialed professionals, learning sessions may be eligible for continuing professional education (CPE) credit. CPE credit is issued by FX Initiative, a member of the NASBA National Registry of CPE Sponsors, in fields of study including: 

• Accounting
• Auditing
• Behavioral Ethics
• Business Management & Organization
• Business Law
• Communications & Marketing
• Computer Software & Applications
• Economics
• Finance
• Information Technology
• Management Services
• Personal Development
• Personnel/Human Resources
• Production
• Regulatory Ethics
• Specialized Knowledge
• Statistics
• Taxes

To share your treasury management thought leadership with our audience of students and professionals, we invite you to submit an outline of your presentation, proposed topic, or educational idea to our team at info@windycitywebinars.org.

We welcome business leaders and corporate sponsors to contact us about contributing the success of this student led learning initiative. To get involved in our project or learn more about how to help, please email support@fxinitiative.com.