Treasury Careers, Teams, and Excellence: Lessons From the Top

Sep 30, 2025

Guest

Kiera Agnew

Guest

Keith Lynch

Guest

Julia Donegan

Kiera Agnew, Assistant Vice President at Kellanova, Keith Lynch, Senior Director at Viatris, and Julia Donegan, Global Treasury Director at Newell Brands, discuss their unexpected journeys into treasury. They explore how to build and scale global teams in a post-COVID world and the evolving role of treasury in strategic business decisions. The trio emphasizes the importance of mentorship, technology, and continuous improvement while navigating remote work complexities. Their insights offer a masterclass in leading high-performing treasury teams globally.

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ADVICE

Turn Manual Tasks Into Strategic Wins

Do treat daunting problems as opportunities and automate manual tasks to free time for higher-value work.
Bake continuous improvement into team routines with dedicated days for process work.

INSIGHT

Data Storytelling Becomes A Core Skill

Tech skills and data storytelling will differentiate treasurers as forecasting and analytics take centre stage.
AI helps automate non-value tasks but human judgement remains essential for interpretation.

ADVICE

Own Systems And Use Bots Wisely

Do own your treasury systems and learn enough IT to shape implementations and expedite deliverables.
Use bots and rules to deliver 'roughly right' forecasts, then apply human insight for the 20% exceptions.

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What do global treasury leaders really do to build high-performing teams, navigate massive organizational change, and win industry awards - all while working across time zones?

In this live episode from our Dublin event, three senior treasury professionals reveal exactly how they’ve built careers, led global teams, and driven continuous improvement at some of the world’s most recognizable brands.

Join Mike Richards as he chats with these three powerhouse treasury leaders:

Kiera Agnew, Assistant Vice President, Corporate Assistant Treasurer at Kellanova
Julia Donegan, Global Treasury Director at Newell Brands Inc
Keith Lynch, Senior Director, Global Treasury Centre of Excellence, Viatris

Hosted LIVE in Dublin, this episode unpacks the real-world challenges and successes that come with leading treasury in complex, global organizations.

From entering the field by chance to shaping the future of the profession, this candid conversation offers a masterclass in what it takes to thrive and lead in modern treasury.

What We Cover in This Episode

How each guest accidentally fell into treasury and built global careers from the ground up
The role of formal education vs. real-world experience in treasury success
How to build and scale global treasury teams, especially post-COVID
The shift to remote and hybrid work, and how it's changing team dynamics
The importance of mentorship, leadership, and soft skills in treasury
How treasury teams earn a seat at the table in strategic business decisions
Using automation, TMS, and AI to drive transformation - without reducing headcount
Lessons from award-winning treasury projects in virtual accounts, restructuring, and more
Advice on career progression, visibility, and getting internal recognition
The challenges of navigating acquisitions, integrations, and rapid change

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