Chatham welcomes treasury risk management expert Stuart Hill to the Global Corporates team
Summary
Stuart Hill joins Chatham Financial’s Global Corporates team, focusing on treasury risk management to help our clients manage their financial risks. He brings a wide range of experience, spanning interest rates, FX and commodities, and debt capital market issuance.
Can you summarize your experience within the treasury risk management space? How do you add value to Chatham clients?
I have spent my career focusing on financial risk management. I began at RBS, now NatWest, specializing in providing structured interest rate risk management solutions to corporate clients. Following my eight-year tenure there, I spent five years at two NASDAQ-listed multinationals, overseeing all aspects of treasury risk. I have broad and unique experience spanning major and emerging market currencies, a variety of interest rate structures, cross-currency swaps, share buybacks and option pricing, financial reporting including 10-Q/K filings, M&A activities, hedging restructuring and cash flow modelling.
My experience across multiple areas — selling interest rate solutions from a bank to the bank's corporate clients, interfacing with banks from a corporate treasury function, and providing third party advice to banks and corporates — provides a unique perspective to Chatham’s clients and prospects. I understand what clients are focused on internally and externally, as well as stakeholders’ objectives to design and deliver on tailored financial risk management solutions. Our clients will benefit as they will have a partner who understands all areas of their financial exposures — many of which are inter-linked.
Why did you decide to join the Chatham team?
I was aware of Chatham’s reputation with global funds and sponsors and U.S. corporates, known for their expert knowledge and independence in the financial industry. I was excited at the opportunity to join the team and build on the success of the corporates business in the U.S. by bringing the best-in-class offering to U.K. and European clients. Along with a team of experts with diverse market backgrounds and an in-house leading technology platform, Chatham has a unique advantage in our industry.
"There are many treasury teams who are looking for expert input into specific areas of their exposure management and decisions. This is the time to review treasury strategy and financial exposure management."
What are some key trends in the European capital markets that clients should be aware of, and how will you help them navigate these changes?
For the first time in over a decade, the corporate sector faces refinancing into a higher-rate environment. Profits for many corporates have been resilient as higher debt costs are not being felt due to delayed refinancing activity. At the same time, higher interest income on cash deposits has been received immediately. This landscape will change as rates stay higher for longer and refinancing occurs.
Looking to 2024, macroeconomic headwinds and geopolitical tensions will persist in a year that is expected to have heightened political instability with 40 countries holding national elections in 2024. Unstable and fragmented global markets will fuel heightened volatility across asset classes. Chatham is uniquely positioned to provide expert guidance in managing the risks that result from these events.
Where do you see opportunities for European corporates as we approach the end of 2023 and enter 2024?
Instead of taking a pause, it's an opportunity for European corporates to review internal policies, evaluate their financial exposures, and ensure that their risk management strategies align with their business objectives. Some exposures that were once considered insignificant or challenging to hedge, such as emerging market currencies or commodities, might now look different. At the same time, it is also a good opportunity to assess data inputs to allow a proactive approach to treasury decision making. There are many treasury teams who are looking for expert input into specific areas of their exposure management and decisions. This is the time to review treasury strategy and financial exposure management.
Disclaimers
Chatham Hedging Advisors, LLC (CHA) is a subsidiary of Chatham Financial Corp. and provides hedge advisory, accounting and execution services related to swap transactions in the United States. CHA is registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as a commodity trading advisor and is a member of the National Futures Association (NFA); however, neither the CFTC nor the NFA have passed upon the merits of participating in any advisory services offered by CHA. For further information, please visit chathamfinancial.com/legal-notices.
