Investigating 21st-Century Treasury with Winny Li

We’ve got a very special guest on this episode of the Treasury Career Corner podcast, where I’m joined by the incredible Winny Li, the Group Treasurer at PPD.  

Winny graduated from the University of Cambridge with an MPhil Distinction in Management Studies. She started her finance career with professional accountancy firms, including Arthur Andersen and Deloitte, where she completed her ACA training. This provided valuable experience, leading Winny to work for the Global Media Enterprise, Viacom, where she travelled extensively, accumulating further expertise whilst working in different business environments and cultural settings.  

Almost fourteen years ago, Winny joined the fast-growing pharmaceuticals company PPD, where she contributed to the significant growth of the company. PPD is a leading global contract research organization providing comprehensive, integrated drug development, laboratory and lifecycle management services.  

Winny took on further professional training with ACT and helped PPD set up its current Treasury function. PPD is now a leading global contract research organization providing comprehensive, integrated drug development, laboratory and life cycle management services. PPD has 21,500 employees and operates in 100 + countries.   

In a recent interview, Winny was described as ‘[having] a willingness to up sticks and move to where the action is, plus a strong commitment to the treasury discipline. Winny Li's career has all the hallmarks of the exemplary 21st-century treasurer.’ 

On the podcast we discussed… 

• Winny’s remarkable career path from working for various accountancy firms to Viacom and finally, PPD 
• The benefits of working for a large accountancy firm in terms of exposure 
• Tips for treasures who have to travel a lot between different countries for work 
• How PPD’s decision to delist the company impacted the structure of the treasury department 
• Why you need to understand and embrace technology if you want to be an effective treasurer 
• Career advice for anyone who wants to replicate a similar career path as Winny 

Would you like to get in touch with Winny? If so, you can connect with her via her LinkedIn profile. 

Are you interested in pursuing a career within Treasury?  

Whether you’ve recently graduated, or you want to search for new job opportunities to help develop your treasury career, The Treasury Recruitment Company can help you in your search for the perfect job. Find out more here. Or, send us your CV and let us help you in your next career move! 

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