TOMATO CATCH-UP - Newsletter Issue 288 - July 2026

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

How stylish is your business attire this summer? To help make getting dressed for work a little easier, Business Insider asked professional stylists to share which office staples are trending this season and which are on their way out. Here's what they said:

  • Natural fibers like linen, cotton, and silk are on the rise.·
  • Blouses with romantic details are back.
  • The classic yet versatile three-piece suit is trending again.
  • Wide-leg trousers are the dominant silhouette this season.
  • Vests are a popular choice, especially in more relaxed office environments.
  • Lighter colors are becoming more popular.

On the flip side, pieces "that don't necessarily fit the body“, traditional piqué polos, and sky-high heels are among the styles that are on their way out.

This edition includes topics such as Swiss Treasury Summit, EBICS 3.0, MT94x, Corporate Taxes, Treasurers’ Transformation, LinkedIn Presence, 5-to-9 Tips, Tyranny of Merit, and more.

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. Swiss Treasury Summit Sep 15, 2026 – Register Now-
  2. XML-Format 001.001.09-CH und Ebics 3.0 bis Nov-2026
  3. Early Reminder: Swift Retires MT94x as of Nov-2028
  4. International Corporate Taxes in View – Swiss Cantons
  5. EY: How Can Treasurers Transform to Realize New Value in a World of Uncertainty?
  6. How to Improve a LinkedIn Presence
  7. How Do You Make the Most of the 5-to-9 each day?
  8. Book Tip – Tyranny of Merit: Can We Find the Common Good?
  9. Termine & Events
  10. From the Desk of Tomato

 

1. Swiss Treasury Summit Sep 15, 2026 – Register Now

For our international Newsletter readers. Reserve your seat at the Swiss Treasury Summit on 15 September, from 9 to 17.00. This is an independent annual event from HSLU for treasury professionals where they can meet, network, receive guidance, and be inspired by the key issues of modern financial management. German will be the guided language throughout the day.

Für Deutschsprechende:

Haben Sie Ihren Platz reserviert beim Swiss Treasury Summit am 15. September von 9 bis 17 Uhr? Es ist die wiederkehrende unabhängige, von der HSLU organisierte Veranstaltung für Treasury-Fachleute, Lassen Sie sich von Treasury und verwandten Themen inspirieren. Die Veranstaltung ist in deutscher Sprache.

Wir von Tomato freuen uns Sie in Rotkreuz / Luzern wiederzusehen. Bis dann.

Details bei HSLU

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2. XML-Format 001.001.09-CH und Ebics 3.0 bis Nov-2026

Bis November 2026 sind es noch 3 Monate. Ist Ihr ERP mit dem XML updated für Account Payables und auch mit dem Bankkanal Ebics bereit?

Vorgaben von SIX sehen im Schweizer Zahlungsverkehr eine technische Umstellung vor. Ab November 2026 sind alle Zahlungsaufträge zwingend im strukturierten Adressformat und im standardisierten XML-Format (pain.001.001.09-CH) einzureichen. Bei einigen Banken wird eine Anpassung der EBICS-Anbindung an die Version 3.0 erforderlich.

Um eine reibungslose Umstellung der Systeme zu garantieren, sollten die notwendigen Umstellungen zeitnah angegangen werden.

Details bei SIX-Group Scrollen zu Downloadcenter zu XML oder Ebics

Parlez-vous Français ?

Il reste encore 3 mois avant novembre 2026. Votre ERP est-il prêt pour la mise à jour XML relative aux comptes fournisseurs ainsi que pour le canal bancaire EBICS ?

Les directives de SIX prévoient des changements dans le trafic des paiements suisse. À partir de novembre 2026, tous les ordres de paiement devront être transmis au format d'adresse structuré ainsi qu'au format XML standardisé (pain.001.001.09-CH). Certaines banques exigent pour cela une mise à jour de la connexion EBICS vers la version 3.0.

Afin de garantir une transition sans heurts des systèmes, il convient de procéder aux adaptations nécessaires dans les meilleurs délais.

Details chez SIX-Group Scroll au down-load-center et à choisir XML ou Ebics

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3. Early Reminder: Swift Retires MT94x as of Nov-2028

Switching from MT94x to Camt can be challenging, especially within an international company. Here are a few critical questions to consider:

  • Do your overseas banks already deliver Camt.053 or Camt.052 formats?
  • If you collect MT9xx data through a domestic bank, is the agreement between the banks up to date?

Finding the right contact person and coordinating the setup takes time. We suggest starting now with the "low-hanging fruit" – such as EBICS-connected banks and your major, well-established transaction banks. You can then work through the more complex cases over time.

Swift Source and Additional Swift info The two pictures below are within the Swift link

 

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4. International Corporate Taxes in View – Swiss Cantons

An article by BAK Economics, an institute operating since 1980 in Basel.

The BAK Taxation Index is a methodologically rigorous international tax comparison that has been published by BAK Economics in close collaboration with the ZEW – Leibniz Center for European Economic Research since 2003. The index measures the effective tax burden from the perspective of companies and highly skilled workers in all 26 Swiss cantons and approximately 60 international competitor locations.

For English-speaking readers, links by BAK Economics can be found at https://www.bak-economics.com/en/studies-analyses

 

 

 

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5. EY: How Can Treasurers Transform to Realize New Value in a World of Uncertainty?

An EY report examines how treasurers might rethink their responsibilities in light of the rapidly evolving business environment. It draws attention to the importance of the transformative treasurer, a progressive financial leader who adds value by welcoming change, promoting sustainability, and cultivating an innovative culture inside the finance department. This research is based on a survey of more than 1,200 treasurers and senior finance leaders.

Key findings:

  • 84% of CEOs expect treasurers to identify new value opportunities.
  • 93% of CFOs are confident that their treasurers have the right skills to be value creators.
  • 79% of treasurers believe their role will evolve over the next five years and 65% say they have been involved in company-wide strategic initiatives.
  • 43% of CFOs believe that treasury adds the highest value to the enterprise through data & technology.
  • 97% of treasurers frequently use data analytics and visualization tools and 96% believe managing the use of AI will be a greater part of their role over the next five years.
  • 72% of treasurers are frequently involved with the innovation of finance processes & systems.
  • 70% of treasurers say they engage in developing digital and analytical skills within the treasury team.

Check the full EY report

 

 

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6. How to Improve a LinkedIn Presence

An article based and inspired by Matthias Mölleney, Heike Bruch (HSG-Professor), and the Influencer Selma Kuyas.

People may learn a lot about you, your values, and your interests from your LinkedIn page. Besides a professional profile that includes a brief biography, pertinent skills, educational background, recommendations, and more, your conversations on the platform can reveal a lot about you. Not bragging is always hard while talking about oneself, therefore here are some things to remember to keep it professional:

  • When celebrating, mention peers, colleagues, mentors, or any relevant person or also an entity.
  • Talk about best practices and lessons learned that would benefit others.
  • Focus relentlessly on reader value and cut filler words. Some book hints: Write to the Point by Rosemary Frueling (eBay link) from 1988 and/or Sam Leith (Amazon link) from 2018.
  • Over 50% of LinkedIn posts in 2025 were likely written by AI. Source originality.ai

Martin Schneider see his tasks in keeping my LinkedIn feed strictly professional and free of personal clutter.

 

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7. How Do You Make the Most of the 5-to-9 each day?

The time frame before and after the 9-to-5 workday is known as the 5-to-9. The "5 am club," which includes early risers like Michelle Obama and Mark Zuckerberg, gave rise to this trend. To spend less on unimportant things, some routines during this timeframe can help compress productivity into personal time.

To effectively distinguish between work and personal time, the routine's structure is essential. It can be beneficial to begin with a clear transition, such as taking a shower or getting dressed. 5 to 9 time can also be set away from the rest of the day in a third section. This entails going somewhere other than your house or place of employment, such as a coffee shop, gym, or place other than your desk.

Above all, though, experts stress that sleep is crucial and that not all time should be planned. The 5-to-9 trend's detractors claim that burnout can result from rigidly following a schedule before or after work and from having little free time.

Read more AT the Independent  

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8. Book Tip – Tyranny of Merit: Can We Find the Common Good?

The writer of this book and well-known philosopher Michael J. Sandel thinks that democracy is at risk. The odds are in favour of the already fortunate in this era of winners and losers. The American ideal that "you can make it if you try" is undermined by stagnant social mobility and entrenched inequality. The result is a mixture of rage and frustration that has stoked tremendous polarization, as well as a profound mistrust of the government and our fellow citizens. All of these make us ethically unprepared to deal the issues nowadays.

Sandel says that in order to overcome the problems, we need to reconsider how we view success and failure in light of globalization and growing inequality. He demonstrates the arrogance that a meritocracy fosters among its winners as well as the severe criticism it inflicts on those who fall short. He provides a different perspective on success while tracing the disastrous effects throughout a broad spectrum of American life. It focuses on being more aware of how luck plays a part in human affairs, more supportive of an ethic of solidarity and humility, and more affirming of the dignity of labor.

 

Link to the book on Amazon.  

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9. Termine & Events

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10. From the Desk of Tomato

Happy 250-Years USA

In den vergangenen Tagen um den 4. Juli war es für mich spannend und erlebnisreich die Kommentare zum 250 Geburtstag zu verfolgen und lesen in verschiedenen Sprachen. Meine Findings:

Erstens: Die wichtigste Passage in der amerikanischen Unabhängigkeitserklärung handelt von den unveräusserlichen Naturrechten des Menschen: dem Recht auf Leben, Freiheit und das «Streben nach Glück».

Zweitens: Die USA behaupten sich kontinuierlich. 1776 unterschätzte die Englische Krone die Kolonien. Man kann die US-Amerika nicht einfach ignorieren oder unterschätzen. 250 Jahre nach der Gründung gehen wesentliche Impulse in der Politik, in der Wissenschaft und der Kultur von den USA aus.

Drittens: die grössten beiden Börsen der Welt sind der New York Stock-Exchange gefolgt von Nasdaq Stock Market. Gefolgt von viel kleineren Börsen wie Shanghai Exchange, Japan Exchange, Euronext Exchange.

Viertens: Daraus inspirierte es mich dem finanziellen Reichtum nachzuforschen. Die Rezensionen, Berichte, Interviews rund um Thomas Pikety zogen mein Interesse auf sich.

Am Beispiel der USA (mittlerweile auch in zwei Dutzend weiteren Ländern) diagnostizieren Piketty, Anthony Atkinson, Emmanuel Saez, Gabriel Zucman und andere Autoren eine massiv beschleunigte Konzentration des Einkommens und Vermögens (Primäreinkommen, vor Steuern und Transfers)

Der Ökonom Thomas Piketty in seinem Buch «Das Kapital im 21. Jahrhundert», in dem er über die ungleiche Einkommens- und Vermögensverteilung in Amerika und anderen Ländern spricht

Das Einkommen liegt bei fast der Hälfte der seit 1980 in den USA geborenen Kinder unter dem ihrer Eltern. Das durchschnittliche Lohnwachstum des Landes seit damals ist in erster Linie auf eine kleine Oberschicht zurückzuführen, die in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten den überwiegenden Anteil der Reallohnzuwächse für sich beansprucht hat.

Laut Saez und Zucman ist der Anteil des Vermögens, der sich in den Händen der obersten 10 % in den USA befindet, stetig um rund 10 % auf etwa 75 % gestiegen; in den meisten europäischen Ländern liegt er unter 65 %. In nordeuropäischen Ländern und in Japan ist die Vermögenskonzentration etwas geringer.

Thomas Piketey, Das Kapital im 21. Jahrhundert  Rezension von Blätter.de von Nov-2014

Vor rund 115 Jahren belief sich das Vermögen von J.D.Rockefeller (Standard Oil Company) auf etwa 2 % des Bruttoinlandprodukts der USA. Das Vermögen von Elon Musk wird auf etwa 3 % der gesamten jährlichen Wirtschaftsleistung Amerikas geschätzt. Rückblickend wurde 1911 Standard Oil Company vom Amerikanischen obersten Gericht aufgeteilt künftig in Exxon, Chevron, Amoco, BP America.

Die Vereinigten Staaten begannen 1776 ihre Erfolgsgeschichte. Ereignisse wie 1911 oder 2026 sind ein Teil des Strebens. Es ist schwierig sich einen wirtschaftlichen Erfolg, ohne die USA vorzustellen.

Do you prefer English?

Happy 250-Years USA

Over the past few days around July 4, it was exciting and enriching for me to follow and read the comments on the 250th anniversary in various languages. My findings:

First: The most important passage in the American Declaration of Independence concerns the inalienable natural rights of man: the right to life, liberty, and the “pursuit of happiness.”

Second: The U.S. continues to assert itself. In 1776, the British Crown underestimated the colonies. One cannot simply ignore or underestimate the United States. 250 years after its founding, the U.S. continues to be a major source of innovation in politics, science, and culture.

Third: The two largest stock exchanges in the world are the New York Stock Exchange, followed by the Nasdaq Stock Market. These are followed by much smaller exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the Tokyo Stock Exchange, and Euronext.

Fourth: This inspired me to explore financial wealth. The reviews, reports, and interviews surrounding Thomas Piketty piqued my interest and Thomas Piketty and the book Capital (link to Amazon) raised my interest.

For nearly half of the children born in the United States since 1980, income is lower than that of their parents. The country’s average wage growth since then is primarily attributable to a small upper class that has claimed the lion’s share of real wage gains over the past few decades.

ENJOY TOMATO CATCH UP NEWS from the Tomato Atelier Zurich Airport

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