Finance Director Europe
FDE 2008 Issue 2
M&A – its all about the timing. In an exclusive interview, we speak to Steve Lucas, Finance Director of National Grid, who presided over two acquisitions within a single month last year - snapping up Rhode Island Gas for almost $600m and KeySpan for $12bn.
In the first interview outside of his native Germany, we also learn how Lothar Steinebach, CFO of Henkel KgaA, kept his nerve during the recent €4bn acquisition of ICI subsidiary National Starch. Steinebach is quick to point out that post-merger integration is where the really hard work starts.
We also interview John Hele, CFO, ING Group, on how the bank has re-ordered its management structure in order to better address the new risk climate. Suresh C. Senapaty, EVP, Finance and CFO of Wipro Limited discusses the changing role of the CFO and the finance function, and Roy Waight, EVP for the Finance Functional Plan, Shell, explains the benefits in regional shared service centres.
Resisting The SqueezeABFA CEO Kate Sharp makes the case for asset-based finance, one market that is performing well despite the credit crunch.
Making M&A PayFlyBe's acquisition of BA Connect last year saw it become Europe's largest regional low-cost airline.
Precision StepAs part of our M&A special focus, Barry Mansfield talks to Lothar Steinebach, CFO of German consumer goods giant Henkel.
In SyncAfter snapping up two utility companies in a month, National Grid became the second largest US utility by customer numbers.
Buyers Take NoteAberdeen's Viktoriya Sadlovska and Melissa Spinks discuss the 2008 State of the Market in Supply Chain Finance survey.
Collaborate to AccumulateEnrico Camerinelli, FDE's financial supply chain consultant editor, offers a guide to supply chain management.
Shell SharesShell has eschewed outsourcing for its finance function, running its own regional shared service centres.
Stay in FocusIndian company Wipro Ltd is leading the way in India's push to reach beyond domestic markets.
Know Your LimitsNewcastle Building Society's finance director Jonathan Westhoff examines the collapse of Northern Rock.
Split Stream The credit crunch has added liquidity risk to a growing burden of regulatory requirements, including Basel II and Sepa.
Border ControlProblems in selling overseas can become more complex than those in the doemstic markets.
FDE Roundtable: Go For GrowthManaging for sustainable, profitable growth is at the top of the agenda for CEOs today.
MES and the Modern CFOWhile manufacturing may not be the first responsibility a CFO envisions, for those working with production, it is vital.
A Private FunctionThe credit crunch means FDs and CFOs in private equity-backed businesses are even more exposed – and valuable.
Copyright 2008 SPG Media Limited a subsidiary of SPG Media Group PLC
