Dublin Calling: An Update from the Irish Association

The Irish Association of Corporate Treasurers (IACT) emerged from the global pandemic with a well-established and varied events calendar which served and supported their members well. While Ireland had increasingly been recognised as a centre of excellence and as a destination of choice for many Treasury Centres, membership remained around the 400 level for 12 years.

In 2023, the Association began a journey of unprecedented growth, following the establishment of new pillars for Young Treasurers and for Women in Treasury. Both pillars were targeted towards attracting and supporting under-represented cohorts within the treasury industry.

The Young Treasurers pillar encourages earlier engagement with the Association, which couples well with the introduction of the IACT Training Academy. The Academy is aimed at those who are relatively new to treasury, or those who are looking for a detailed introduction to treasury management activities, infrastructure and organization.

The successful Women in Treasury pillar was subsequently rebranded in 2024 and broadened into the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) pillar. The commitment to EDI was recognised through the recent publication of an EDI Vision. Membership has grown by 50%, surpassing 600 members, with record numbers attending both the long-standing events and the newer events.

The membership growth coincided with the upscaling of the flag-ship annual Treasury Management Conference to a two-day event in the impressive Convention Centre in Dublin. The Conference continues to attract a growing list of delegates, both from Ireland and from further afield. The IACT expect to exceed 400 delegates this year, almost doubling the pre-pandemic attendance.

Under the leadership of John James Dunne, IACT President, the Association set the 2024 objective to deliver a pioneering direct route into Corporate Treasury to ease the talent shortage. A strategic partnership with Trinity College Dublin was established, with a rotational 18-month Graduate Programme, where the successful candidate will complete three six-month placements in Kellanova (previously Kellogg's), ESB Group and FTI Treasury. The Programme offers a rich diversity of practical experience as a direct introduction into the coveted profession of Corporate Treasury.

While the new initiatives are the catalyst for the explosive growth, their combination with the existing pillars is the key success factor to providing members with a unique value proposition. At this point, the Association boasts an expansive list of events throughout the year, including the Black-Tie Gala Dinner, Golf Day, 5k Fun Run, Social Networking Events, Regular Briefings and Regional Treasury Events. In addition, the IACT offer a successful Mentoring Programme, professional quality Publications and an Annual IACT Award which formally recognises member success.

The Association has charitable status and is managed by a Committee of enthusiastic and energetic volunteers who pursue the objective of promoting the study and practice of treasury management in Ireland. The Committee is underpinned by invaluable contributions from Michele and the recently recruited Florence who both work with the Association. Their work gives additional support to the recent expansion and will allow the Association to progress onwards.

The IACT has reached new heights and is stronger than ever, with ambitions to evolve and grow further.

The EACT looks forward to hearing more success stories from our valued member, the Irish ACT.