TOMATO CATCH-UP - Newsletter Issue 282 - December 2025

Your monthly resource on working capital, process optimization, and issues related to the world of corporate treasurers, IT professionals, and bankers!

This newsletter is bilingual, English or German, depending on the source.

Introduction

Dear Tomato-Catch-Up readers,

This year we’ve been fortunate again to provide you through our Tomato Catch-up with the news, viewpoints, and analysis that matter for your day-to-day work, and not only. For 25 years, we’ve been consistently creating and publishing Tomato Catch-Up News.

We thank you for your readership and continued support and also for your comments on our news. We hope to continue this path together next year. See you in 2026!

This edition features topics such as Structured Finance 2025, Global Payment Report, Fearless AI, FS Partners, PwC AI Barometer, James Robinson and the US, and Best Business Books.

Remember that for any challenge related to your financial issues, you can ask Martin Schneider for a discussion that will clarify it. Contact Martin via email or call +41 44 814 2001.

Contents

  1. Structured Finance 2025 Stuttgart: Review
  2. Treasury & Cash Management Salary Review in Germany
  3. The CFO Company FS Partners is the Newest Valtus Partner
  4. 2025 McKinsey Global Payments Report Findings
  5. PwC Barometer 2025: The Fearless Future of AI
  6. James Robinson’s view on the US
  7. Book Tip: Best Business Books offered by Financial Times
  8. Termine & Events in 2026
  9. Festive Wishes from the Desk of Tomato

 

1. Structured Finance 2025 Stuttgart: Review

Die Structured Finance Konferenz in Stuttgart (26.–27. November 2025) ist die führende neutrale Veranstaltung für Unternehmensfinanzierung. Martin Schneider nimmt seit mehr als zehn Jahren an der Structured Finance teil. Die jährliche Plattform bietet eine einfache Möglichkeit zum Meet & Greet. Für Martin ist es ein Treffen mit Kunden, Partnern und langjährigen Freunden von Tomato.

Do you prefer English?

Structured Finance conference in Stuttgart, (November 26–27, 2025) is the leading neutral event for corporate finance. Martin Schneider has been attending Structured Finance for more than ten years. Every year, the event organizers provide a convenient platform for participants to meet and interact with one another. Martin has thoroughly enjoyed reconnecting with clients, partners and long-standing friends of Tomato.

The two-day meetings in a 4-pages nutshell at Finance-Magazin in Deutsch

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2. Treasury & Cash Management Salary Review in Germany

Ein Bericht von DerTreasurer: Rund 150 Treasurer aus unterschiedlichen Branchen nahmen Teil an der Umfrage zum Gehaltsniveau für Junior, Senior Treasurer, Leiter Treasury. Positionen in Cash Management, Zins- und Währungsmanagement im eigenen Unternehmen sind ebenfalls befrag worden. Hier die Kurzanalyse:

  • Eine der Kernbotschaften: Je mehr Konzern-Umsatz, je mehr Gehalt.
  • Zweite Botschaft: Je präziser der Corporate den Mehrwert von Treasury-Kompetenz erkennt und präzise die Berufs-Anforderungen formuliert, desto eher ist das Unternehmen bereit, marktgerechte bzw. auch über den Durchschnitt liegende Gehälter zu zahlen.
  • Bei 66% der 150 Befragten erhalten Treasury-Chefs ein Jahresgehalt zwischen 80.000 und 200.000 Euro.
  • Bei 41% der 150 Befragten mit einem Umsatz über 1 Milliarde Euro verorten sich die Treasury-Chefs in ihrem Unternehmen bei einem Verdienst in Höhe von mindestens 160.000 Euro
  • In grossen Milliardenunternehmen kann ein Leiter Treasury allenfalls ein Jahres-Zielgehalt von 250.000 bis 350.000 Euro erreichen

Details bei der Treasurer

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3. The CFO Company FS Partners is the Newest Valtus Partner

FS Partners and Tomato support each other in knowledge exchange and interim experience. Tomato offers the Treasury part and FS Partners the CFO part.

FS Partners is a boutique consultancy based in Switzerland that specializes in support for strategic transformation and interim management. By offering seasoned interim CFO executives, they assist businesses in navigating crucial stages like restructurings, leadership gaps, or transformation programs. With over 550 completed projects and over 450 clients, they have established themselves as a reliable partner in this field since their foundation in 2009.

In Summer 2025, FS joined the Valtus Group and the international network Valtus Alliance. This will allow both to expand their offering into additional interim roles such as CEO, CIO, and HR.

Further reading on LinkedIn

Quelle: FS Partners auf LinkedIn

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4. 2025 McKinsey Global Payments Report Findings

This year’s report investigates the rise of diverse payment rails, the impact of digital assets, and the transformative power of AI.

Key findings:

  • The payments industry remains the most valuable part of financial services, generating $2.5 trillion in revenue.
  • Cash usage continues to decline globally, now 46% down from 50% in 2023.
  • From 2019 to 2024, global payments revenue increased on average by 7% annually.
  • Interest income made up 46% of total revenues in 2024, supported by higher rates.
  • Payment’s revenues are almost evenly split between consumer and commercial, the region composition varies
    • North America leans toward consumer payments.
    • APAC tilts commercial.
    • EMEA features a more diversified mix.
    • Latin America leans toward consumers.
  • Account-to-account (A2A) payments are gaining popularity: digital wallets now account for 30% of global point-of-sale volume, led by markets such as India, Brazil, and Nigeria.
  • 10% of consumers use AI to start their online shopping journey, and 20% would be comfortable asking AI to make a purchase on their behalf.

Details to read at the 15 pages from the McKinsey website (credentials are needed)

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5. PwC Barometer 2025: The Fearless Future of AI

PwC’s 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer shows that AI can make people’s work more valuable, even when it comes to highly automatable jobs. The report is based on the analysis of almost a billion job ads from six continents and uncovers AI's global impact on jobs, skills, wages, and productivity.

Key findings:

  • 3x higher revenue growth per worker in industries more exposed to AI.
  • 100% of industries are increasing AI usage, including those less obviously exposed to AI.
  • 66% faster skill change in AI-exposed jobs, up from 25% last year.
  • 56% wage premium for AI skills comparing workers in the same job with and without AI skills, up from 25% last year.

The report also contains industry-level insights on:

  • Energy, utilities and resources
  • Financial services
  • Government, public services and defence
  • Healthcare
  • Information, communication, and technology
  • Professional services
  • Wholesale and retail trade

Scroll down to Country insights and get your desired country report in PDF

These following screens are at the PwC; 16 pages

Do you prefer a One-Minute-Audio at PwC-Site?

 

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6. James Robinson’s view on the US

James A.Robinson and Daron Acemoglu wrote the famous book Why Nations Fail in 2012. James Robinson is also Nobel Prize Winner in Economics in 2024.

Both authors gave interviews in 2025 and saw the development of the US controversy. 

Robinson believes the US have always acted in its own interests, but that the trade war has brought it into conflict with its closest allies - Europe and Canada. Real wages for most Americans are stagnating, and many middle-class and educationally disadvantaged people are worse off today than they were 50 years ago.

As the US increasingly withdraws from global trade, the world may rebalance itself without America.

James Robinson is confident that Europe will reinvent itself thanks to its capabilities and that Chinese growth will eventually slow down.

The current chaos offers an opportunity for new ideas and models to establish themselves.

Kmu.gov.ua, James A. Robinson in Ukraine - 2018 (MUS3183), CC BY 4.0

Both interviews to be read in German at NZZ.

Interview James Robinson  - Interview Daron Acemoglu

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7. Book Tip: Best Business Books offered by Financial Times

Best Business Books by Financial Times contains all the books longlisted for the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award starting 2005. It contains 17 categories, from Banking and Finance, Economics, to Investment & Markets and more. Each book comes with a synopsis, and more details about the author.

Read more on the FT website: https://ig.ft.com/sites/business-book-award/categories/banking-and-finance/

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8. Termine & Events in 2026

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9. Festive Wishes from the Desk of Tomato

“All things are difficult before they are easy.”
Thomas Fuller 1654-1734

“Nul bien sans peine”

Whether learning accounting, treasury, starting
in cash management or navigating a changing market,
every expert was once a beginner facing a difficult path.

May your hard work in the past serve you as a solid foundation
for a smooth and prosperous year.

The Tomato Team wishes you happy holidays

Your Tomato AG

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