Episode 11
6sense’s treasurer on managing risk in today’s world
Episode summary
In this episode of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou is joined by Eugene Spevakov, Treasurer and Head of Corporate FP&A at 6sense. The conversation begins by tracing Eugene’s path, highlighting his start in civil engineering and his transition into treasury and corporate finance.
The episode then dives deep into the primary responsibilities of a treasury function: cash and risk management (aka, you need to be able to move money from point A to point B safely). Eugene spends time explaining what both mean and best practices associated (tip: prioritize cash preservation, liquidity, then yield). As a part of that, he reflects on the SVB collapse a year ago, and how that galvanized a lot of companies to take a hard look at their cash and risk management processes.
The conversation pivots to Eugene’s focus areas and accomplishments at 6sense. He shares how he built the company’s first official treasury function, executed a senior secured credit facility, and designed an investment portfolio to optimize yield and reduce banking fees. As a part of this, he spends a few minutes on the macro environment, including the end of the ZIRP era and the influence of geopolitics. His primary point? Manage the risk you can control, and scenario plan for what you can’t.
This is a “don’t miss” episode for finance leaders looking to build effective cash and risk management strategies.
Show notes
Eugene’s transition to treasury [1:07]
Unique challenges in treasury functions [15:09]
Cash management in a changing environment [24:59]
Best practices for designing an investment portfolio [31:38]
Guest bio
Eugene Spevakov, Treasurer and Head of Corporate FP&A, 6sense
Eugene Spevakov is the Treasurer and Head of Corporate FP&A at 6sense. He has over 15 years of expertise in building and leading high-performing teams across Treasury, FP&A, and broader Finance functions. He has a BS in Civil Engineering from UC Berkeley and received his MBA with a focus on finance from UC Davis. He is also an advisor to the board of directors for Panax, a company focused on cash flow management.
“Ultimately treasury and finance in general is a service organization. We serve our stakeholders internal and external. As these stakeholders move faster, we need to make sure we can respond to their needs.”
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