Annual conferences for professional associations can often have a whiff of ‘holier than thou’.
Well, guess what, the ACT is no different and frankly there’s no reason why we should be! In fact we go further than most to put on a show and what’s more, it’s all our own work. This year the charabanc is on its way to Glasgow and we’re almost ready to roll!
What are we talking about this year? The theme we have chosen is ‘If Treasurers Ruled the World’ and the essence is that knowledge is power: and we believe the conference can deliver both! As you would expect there’s plenty on regulation, funding ,supply chain finance, counterparty risk, working capital and plenty of other interesting issues and even something called ‘strategic liquidity’ (although you will have to ask a grown-up what that means if you’re not coming to Glasgow!)
What’s perhaps interesting - at least to me - is what isn’t at the front of people’s minds right now. Pensions for example seem to have fallen off the priority list; borrowing from banks – duh! – isn’t tripping off the tongue and no-one these days wants to talk about those clever things called CDS! More surprisingly, governance isn’t a big player either and, without taking anything for granted, neither are ethics….now there’s a hostage to fortune!
As is ACT tradition nowadays, all that talking however means everyone will get very hungry and thirsty. A return of the conference to Scotland will offer the chance to sample some of its finest libation (no, not a fizzy orange drink made from girders!) in some excellent hostelries. It ill behoves an Englishman to comment on fine Scottish food – I am a big Haggis lover of course! – but the deep fried pizza last enjoyed in Edinburgh will no doubt see a return as well!
I’ll be writing daily from Glasgow next week - and tweeting too on @petermatza #actac14 @actupdate – so watch this space!