How Bad Financial Decisions and Poor Cash Management Are Destroying Businesses - Nikos Polymenakos

In this episode of Treasury Leaders, host Jan-Willem Attevelt, Co-founder of Automation Boutique, talks with Nikos Polymenakos, Director of Treasury at Delta Foods SA, about the evolving role of treasury in modern business, the lessons learned from Greece’s financial crisis, and why treasury teams must move beyond operational tasks to become strategic business partners. Nikos shares how his unconventional path into finance shaped his perspective on treasury as a discipline rooted in business understanding, relationships, and creativity rather than pure mathematics. Drawing from his experience leading treasury and finance responsibilities across a decentralised FMCG group, he explains why cash flow visibility, liquidity management, and strategic forecasting are essential for sustainable growth. Whether you are focused on liquidity management, treasury transformation, forecasting, or the future of digital finance, this episode offers practical insights into how treasury leaders can create long-term strategic value for their organisations. What You’ll Learn in This Episode • Why treasury teams must understand the full business, not just finance • How Greece’s financial crisis reshaped treasury and liquidity management • The role of trade finance and cash flow forecasting in supporting growth • Why AI in treasury depends on strong data foundations and human judgement • How stablecoins and blockchain could reduce friction in global payments Episode Breakdown with Timestamps [00:00] – Nikos’ Journey into Treasury and Business Leadership [05:36] – Lessons from Greece’s Financial Crisis and Liquidity Management [14:27] – Trade Finance and Unlocking Working Capital [19:14] – Implementing a Treasury Management System Across Subsidiaries [24:12] – Building a 13-Week Rolling Cash Flow Forecast [28:20] – AI in Treasury and the Importance of Clean Data [35:34] – Stablecoins, Blockchain, and the Future of Payments [48:56] – Why Treasurers Must Become Strategic Leaders Follow Our Guest Nikos Polymenakos: LinkedIn:   / nikos-polymenakos-8993551b   Delta Foods:   / delta-foods-sa   Follow Treasury Leaders: Website: https://corporate-treasury-101.com/ LinkedIn:   / treasury-leaders   Follow Our Hosts: Hussam Ali on LinkedIn:   / hussam-r-ali   Guillaume Jouvencel on LinkedIn:   / guillaume-jouvencel   Jan-Willem Attevelt on LinkedIn:   / attevelt   Philip Costa Hibberd on LinkedIn:   / philip-costa-hibberd   GHA Marketing Website: https://ghapodcast.com/ Automation Boutique Website: https://automationboutique.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Get $100 off any AFP product, including their CTP Exam Prep Platform, using our discount code! Find this and More on our partner's page https://corporate-treasury-101.com/pa...