AWF Magazine - December 2023.pdf

AWF EDUCATION EVENT

Managing the Balance Sheet: Insights from AT&T’s SVP - Treasurer, George Goeke

November 14, 2023

By: Pam Jozwiakowski

AT&T Women of Finance recently had the pleasure of hosting a discussion with George Goeke, Senior Vice President-Treasurer, on the art of balance sheet management. George began by decoding the concept of balance sheet management, a crucial component of the overall capital allocation philosophy. The capital allocation philosophy is a framework guiding decisions on the utilization of cash from operations - the annual income of the company. This cash could be directed towards company investment, acquisitions, or debt and equity management. George emphasized that using this cash for debt and equity management epitomizes the idea of balance sheet management.

The decision-making process regarding capital allocation is influenced by the company's objectives and current progress towards those objectives. For AT&T, the focus is on business growth through fiber and 5G investment and debt reduction.