Top 10 Recent Books Corporate Treasurers Should Read for Real-Life Lessons

In today’s fast-paced finance and treasury landscape, staying informed and drawing insights from real-world events can help corporate treasurers navigate complexity and uncertainty. Beyond theoretical knowledge, the stories behind financial markets, corporate collapses, frauds, and innovations offer valuable lessons. These narratives not only inspire but also serve as cautionary tales for professionals in treasury and finance.

Here’s a curated list of the top 10 Treasury management books, featuring gripping real-life accounts of financial revolutions, scandals, and innovations. Each book provides insights into risk management, corporate governance, market dynamics, and the evolving role of treasury in a rapidly changing world.

1. Trillions: How a Band of Wall Street Renegades Invented the Index Fund and Changed Finance Forever

By Robin Wigglesworth (2021)

Index funds have revolutionized investment, and for corporate treasurers managing large portfolios, understanding their rise is crucial. This book dives into the creation and impact of index funds, shedding light on how passive investing transformed capital markets.

Key takeaway: Learn how index funds democratized investment opportunities and reshaped corporate finance strategies, making them essential tools for modern treasuries.

2. The Billionaire’s Apprentice: The Rise of The Indian-American Elite and The Fall of The Galleon Hedge Fund

By Anita Raghavan (2013)

This book explores the insider trading scandal surrounding the Galleon Group, one of the most successful hedge funds in the world. It tells the story of ambition, power, and the ethical challenges treasurers face when dealing with financial markets.

Key takeaway: A deep dive into the regulatory environment and ethical boundaries in finance, critical for corporate treasurers involved in managing investments and partnerships.

3. Black Edge: Inside Information, Dirty Money, and the Quest to Bring Down the Most Wanted Man on Wall Street

By Sheelah Kolhatkar (2017)

The story of Steve Cohen’s SAC Capital is a fascinating account of insider trading, regulatory oversight, and high-stakes trading. For treasurers, this book highlights the importance of compliance and ethical risk management.

Key takeaway: Treasurers can glean insights into maintaining integrity while navigating the regulatory complexities of financial markets.

4. Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

By John Carreyrou (2018)

Theranos and its CEO, Elizabeth Holmes, fooled investors and corporate partners with promises of groundbreaking technology that never materialized. For corporate treasurers, this book offers lessons on conducting thorough due diligence, especially when managing corporate investments.

Key takeaway: Never overlook governance and transparency when evaluating partnerships or investment opportunities.

5. Kleptopia: How Dirty Money is Conquering the World

By Tom Burgis (2020)

This eye-opening book investigates the global flow of illicit money and corruption that seeps into financial systems. For corporate treasurers, understanding the threat of dirty money and tightening anti-money laundering (AML) processes is crucial in today’s interconnected world.

Key takeaway: Strengthen your AML strategies to protect your corporation from reputational and regulatory risks.

6. The Man Who Solved the Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution

By Gregory Zuckerman (2019)

Jim Simons, founder of Renaissance Technologies, pioneered quantitative trading and data-driven investment strategies. For treasurers, this book offers a window into how technology can transform investment strategies.

Key takeaway: Explore the cutting edge of quantitative finance and how data analytics can enhance treasury operations and investment management.

7. The Bond King: How One Man Made a Market, Built an Empire, and Lost It All

By Mary Childs (2022)

Bill Gross, the “Bond King,” built Pimco into a global fixed-income powerhouse. His rise and fall offer treasurers lessons in bond market dynamics, risk management, and how even seasoned experts can make critical errors.

Key takeaway: Understand the inner workings of the bond market and the importance of adaptive risk management strategies.

8. Capitalism in America: A History

By Alan Greenspan and Adrian Wooldridge (2018)

Though historical in scope, this book includes recent economic and financial shifts. It provides treasurers with a broader understanding of how market cycles, regulations, and economic forces shape corporate finance.

Key takeaway: Gaining a macroeconomic perspective can help treasurers anticipate shifts in financial markets and strategize accordingly.

9. The Cult of We: WeWork, Adam Neumann, and the Great Startup Delusion 

By Eliot Brown and Maureen Farrell (2021)

The meteoric rise and fall of WeWork is a cautionary tale about corporate governance, overvaluation, and investor euphoria. Corporate treasurers can draw lessons on the importance of sound financial oversight in fast-growing companies.

Key takeaway: Ensure financial discipline and governance checks are in place to avoid falling victim to market hype and inflated valuations.

10. Money Men: A Hot Startup, A Billion Dollar Fraud, A Fight for the Truth 

By Dan McCrum (2022)

The Wirecard scandal is one of the most recent and shocking cases of corporate fraud. It shows how a company can deceive investors and regulators on a massive scale. For corporate treasurers, the Wirecard story underscores the importance of vigilance in financial reporting and fraud detection.

Key takeaway: Prioritize transparency, risk assessments, and robust financial controls to safeguard your organization from similar risks.

Let’s Grow the List Together!

These 10 books offer a wealth of real-life lessons that treasurers can apply to their daily roles—from managing risk and governance to understanding markets and innovation. But this is just a start. Have you come across any other real-life story-based books that offer treasury or finance lessons?

We invite you to share your recommendations in the comments and help us build an even more comprehensive reading list for treasury professionals!

By sharing this list, we hope to spark a dialogue within our treasury community. Feel free to suggest your favorite reads or comment on which of these books have had the biggest impact on your professional development.

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October 10, 2024

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