From a Blank Sheet: How to Set Up a Treasury Function from Scratch and Lead with Confidence

What does it take to rise through the ranks in treasury - from debt collection to leading the treasury function of a global engineering group? In this episode, we dive into the real, unfiltered treasury career journey of Emma Hayward, Group Treasurer of Dowlais Group plc, covering everything from early uncertainty to leading high-stakes corporate transformations.This week on the Treasury Career Corner, host Mike Richards sits down with Emma Hayward, Group Treasurer of Dowlais Group plc, a global engineering firm operating in the automotive sector. Emma shares her unconventional journey into treasury, lessons from working at industry giants like Merck and Tesco, and what it's really like to build a treasury team from scratch during a corporate demerger.Main topics discussed:Emma’s early steps in finance, banking, and her unexpected move into treasuryWorking in global treasury operations at a pharmaceutical companyLife inside Tesco’s treasury team pre and post-financial crisisHow Emma helped transform treasury’s role to be more strategic and integrated with commercial functionsExecuting Tesco’s first commodity trade and managing FX risk for thousands of productsLeading during financial uncertainty and a corporate credit downgradeSetting up a treasury function from scratch during a spin-offThe massive task of launching Dowlais Group’s treasury operations post-demergerEmma’s leadership principles and how she manages pressure and workloadAdvice on career growth, finding the right fit, and making strategic career decisionsYou can connect with Emma Hayward on LinkedIn. ---🎙️ Subscribe to the Treasury Career Corner podcast - Never miss an episode! Hit subscribe on your favourite platform:🍏Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/treasury-career-corner/id1436647162🎧Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/641KUrhdoQPynLc1q2Guqn🎓 Save $150 on CTP, FPAC & AFP Boston 2025 - Exclusive discounts for treasury professionals – thanks to our trusted partners.🧠 Leadership Under Pressure - Practical tools and coaching that actually work – from the team at Gazing Leadership.🤝 Support for Your Treasury Career - From education to events, tech to training – meet the partners helping treasury professionals like you grow and succeed.👉 Explore your support network here - https://treasuryrecruitment.com/partners/