Guest: Jim Scurlock, CTP Sr. Director, Assistant Treasurer · Expedia Group

What does it actually take to move $26.2 billion in cash in a single day?

In this episode, Jim Scurlock joins Treasury4's George Zinn and Ed Barrie for an unscripted conversation on what treasury execution looks like at the sharp end of M&A. Jim spent 14 years at Microsoft leading global cash management through more than 110 acquisitions — from small asset transfers to the largest all-cash deal in the company's history. He now leads treasury at Expedia Group, where deals are still a regular part of the job.

This isn't a theoretical discussion. It's a practitioner conversation grounded in real transactions, real pressure, and real lessons learned.

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What We Cover

Banking integration is always underestimated. KYC, signer updates, SWIFT documentation — none of it moves on deal timelines. Jim and George walk through how Microsoft built a pre-close preparation model that delivered full cash visibility within 24 hours of every close.

The $26.2B LinkedIn close. What it took to fund the largest all-cash acquisition in Microsoft's history — securities maturing, wires releasing, intraday overdrafts moving across banks, all tracked in real time from a war room.

Running deals in parallel. At peak, Microsoft was closing roughly one acquisition every three weeks — and not sequentially. Jim breaks down the playbook discipline, communication structure, and surge management that made it possible.

The surprises nobody puts in the playbook. Undisclosed bank accounts. Companies that had acquired other companies. A physical chop lost somewhere in Asia. A safe that had to be drilled open. Jim and George share the moments that no amount of diligence fully prepares you for — and what to do when they surface.

The relationship game. Why treasury teams that show up as partners — not a control function — close faster, integrate smoother, and build the internal credibility that gets them a seat at the table before the next deal is announced.

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About the Guest

Jim Scurlock, CTP, is Sr. Director, Assistant Treasurer at Expedia Group. He spent 14 years at Microsoft leading global cash management and treasury M&A execution, working alongside George Zinn during one of the most active acquisition periods in the company's history.

• Cash visibility across global bank accounts

• Treasury systems and tools at scale

• Workflow and approval challenges in treasury operations

• Managing legal entities, accounts, and data consistency

• Why spreadsheets and legacy TMS tools break down over time

• Lessons for mid-market and enterprise treasury teams

• The value of treasury peer groups and practitioner networks

• Cash visibility across global bank accounts

• Treasury systems and tools at scale

• Workflow and approval challenges in treasury operations

• Managing legal entities, accounts, and data consistency

• Why spreadsheets and legacy TMS tools break down over time

• Lessons for mid-market and enterprise treasury teams

• The value of treasury peer groups and practitioner networks