Finance for Directors and Senior Executives

Course Overview

As a director, whether executive or non-executive, you have responsibilities beyond the norm. Your financial role extends beyond management to financial strategy, corporate governance, group structure and stakeholder expectations.

This two-day course covers finance from the point of view of a director whose primary expertise is not financial, yet who is expected to participate in the financial direction and management of a business. This course covers the financial terminology needed to communicate at board level and with key stakeholders. As well as instilling the key features of company accounts and the corporate budgeting process, it provides valuable insights into the strategic aspects of financial management, enabling participants to hold their own in the boardroom and with senior colleagues.

Audience

This course is suitable for directors, both executive and non-executive; also for senior managers close to board level who wish to participate in financial matters more effectively.

It is suitable for those with little or no prior financial training, although those with some financial grounding will still benefit significantly.

Skills Gained

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Understand terminology and take a more strategic role in finance
• Maximise profitability by effective management of your company's asset base
• Make better business decisions from an evaluation of financial data
• Interpret a set of statutory accounts
• Calculate and interpret key ratios
• Present and handle financial information with appropriate gravitas

Course Outline

Terminology and concepts

• The terminology of strategic finance
• Return on assets and its importance
• Overview of company and group accounts

Accounts and ratios

• Statutory accounts in more detail
• Key ratios and their relevance for stakeholders
• Handling financial statistics in the boardroom and in public

Financial management

• Cash flow forecasts and their importance
• Valuing businesses and projects
• Tools for assessing new business ideas

Forecasting and budget

• Managing the corporate budgeting process
• Using key performance indicators effectively
• Balanced scorecard - a methodology
• Communicating financial data to staff and stakeholders