FX Risk Is No Longer a Side Conversation for Kenyan Companies
For many Kenyan companies, foreign exchange risk has traditionally lived in the margins. It rarely sat at the centre of decision making and instead appeared during procurement discussions or in budget footnotes. The reason was simple. Managing FX exposure in real time was impractical.
Treasury teams focused on containment rather than precision. By the time currency trades were executed, markets had already moved. This execution lag shaped how companies worked with banks and how banks designed their systems.
Legacy forex infrastructure encouraged dependence. Dealers controlled access, prices arrived intermittently, and settlement followed its own timelines. Companies were forced to work around these constraints instead of alongside them. Flexibility suffered, execution was slow, and risk management became reactive rather than deliberate.
How FX Direct Changes the Equation
FX Direct from I&M Bank resets these operating conditions for treasury teams by introducing automated execution and integrated payments.
At the core of the platform is Straight Through Processing. Execution becomes a continuous function rather than a stop-start process. Trades move without manual confirmation or routine human handling. This continuity allows execution to align with live market movements, enabling treasury teams to adjust exposure as conditions change rather than hours later.
By removing time gaps, FX Direct reduces hidden risk and gives treasury teams more control over outcomes.
Shifting Control Back to Treasury Teams
FX Direct also changes where decision authority sits. Execution no longer depends on external intervention. Treasury teams can initiate, structure, and monitor positions directly. Spot and forward exposures can coexist, allowing firms to manage short-term needs while planning for longer-term commitments.
Instead of constant monitoring, teams can set parameters and allow the system to act when conditions are met. This removes pressure from manual decision making and improves timing. Trades become more deliberate, not rushed.
Integrated Payments for Regional Operations
FX Direct integrates with the bank’s cross-border transfer service, BRISK. Currency execution and cross-border movement become visible in one place. This improves planning and coordination, especially for firms operating across the East African region where timing and currency visibility matter.
A Different Relationship With FX Risk
FX Direct does not make foreign exchange predictable. What it changes is how companies experience uncertainty. Less time is spent coordinating processes. Routine execution touches fewer people. Risk becomes easier to manage.
As a result, treasury teams shift from being operational bottlenecks to analytical partners within their organisations.
For companies with consistent foreign exchange activity, FX Direct is built for this reality. Teams accustomed to dealer-led execution will need time to test reliability, and some friction during transition is expected. But once that threshold is crossed, the gains in control, speed, and clarity are hard to ignore.
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