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This 2-day course can be spread across two separate non-consecutive days.

Chartered Management Institute Recognised Training Centre for Finance Training Courses.

The Senior Course Leader is one of the best qualified people in the UK to deliver this course.  He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, an FCA, and a Chartered Director; the Board Director qualification awarded by the Institute of Directors. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Consulting and sits on the Thames Valley Board of the Chartered Management Institute. For several years he was the Senior Finance for Non-Finance Managers Course Leader for the Chartered Management Institute.

He has over 30 years of successful practical UK and International experience, including company acquisitions and disposals, as well as growing companies from start-up to multimillion-pound businesses.  He spent 7 years as the Finance Director and then the Chief Executive of a Plc.  Prior to that he spent 14 years with KPMG Management Consulting, IBM and Arthur Andersen.

Finance for Non-Finance Managers will provide the knowledge and skills needed to understand and analyse any set of accounts and to value any company.

Topics covered include the Balance Sheet, the Profit & Loss Account, the Cash Flow statements, NPV, Net Present Value, DCF, Discounted Cashflow techniques, Net Asset Value, P/E Ratios, ROCE, ROI, Gearing, Current Ratio, Quick Ratio, Stock Days, Debtor Days and Creditor Days Enterprise Value, EBITDA, the Fundamental Accounting Concepts, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, GAAP, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, budgeting, including zero based budgeting, cash management and forecasting, the relationship between ROCE, ROI, Gearing and many more.  Break Even analysis and Contribution Analysis will be contrasted with overhead cost allocation approaches to identify their relative strengths and weaknesses.

All Senior Executives would benefit from this course, from department heads right up to the Chief Executive and the Chair.  This is because most executives have absorbed financial knowledge piecemeal from their colleagues.  That knowledge is often patchy and incomplete.  This course will provide a solid and complete financial knowledge base, upon which we will then build to produce a high level of financial knowledge and skills.

Institute of Leadership and Management approved training centre.

To ensure that the directors attending this training course will get the maximum possible benefit from their time and that the discussions will be at their most effective; the numbers are limited to a maximum of 8 delegates.

Formal Certificates of Professional Development will be issued to participants who successfully complete this training course.

This course is formally accredited by the Chartered Management Institute.  Their logo along with that of Excellence in Learning will be on the 2 day course certificates.

Run this as an in-house course

• Delegate Comments

  ‘Excellent and Comprehensive Course. I have learnt a lot.’
  Conor Wilcock – Sales Director, B2B International Limited

  ‘A very informative two day course on all matters finance. Provided a good knowledge of Finance.’ Steven Knowles – Regional Director, Harworth Estates Limited

  ‘Very engaging. Knowledge and experience of Philip very good.’ Ashleigh Dinsmore – Sales Director, Aptar UK Limited

  ‘Excellent content. Logical method of instruction. Both relevant and interesting.’
  James Ormrod – Chief Legal Officer, International Personal Finance Plc

  ‘An Excellent introductory finance.’ Daniel Allen-Baines – Offshore Operations and Performance Manager, E.ON Climate

  ‘Excellent delivery and pace of content.’ Leon Elston – Managing Director, Coppice Alupack

  ‘Excellent two days with fantastic depth of information. The information was interesting and relevant.’ Geordie Willis – Creative Director, Berry Bros & Rudd Plc

  ‘Very informative and fast paced.’ Sonya Russell – Business and Development Manager, Architectural Decorators Limited

  ‘Very well informed instructor and good material.’ Dr James Milnes – R&D Manager, Photek Limited

  ‘Good content conveyed in an engaging manner – real examples brought it to life.’ Michael Augur – Regional Director, Muse Developments Limited

  ‘Very informative and interactive course .’
  Ricky Daniels – Managing Director, Joseph Lamb

  ‘Many thanks, I have enjoyed the course and learnt a lot. The delivery has been really good. The second day has helped a lot in consolidating the concepts.’
  Carmen Colomina – Practice Director, Social Care Institute for Excellence

  ‘Excellent delivery at a great pace.’
  Maria Iredale – Executive Director, Petroleum Society of Great Britain

  ‘Philip is engaging, knowledgeable, very good at guiding the delegates and also (very importantly for this topic) encouraging.’
  William Wainman – Managing Partner, Ecoffins LLP

  ‘Very informative, thoroughly enjoyed the course and took a huge amount out of the two days – thank you.’
  Katie Bowden – Group Business Director, Global Media and Entertainment

  ‘Varied in-depth learning, which was informative as well as thought provokinge. I leave more knowledgeable’
  Paul Lane – Operations Manager, Harlands Group

  ‘I had no idea how exciting this subject could be.’
  Christopher Schmidt– Managing Director, Sakura Finetek Germany

  ‘Very informative. Style of presentation very good. Presenter very knowledgeable and helpful’
  Peter Lane – IT Operations Director, BMW UK Ltd

  ‘Excellent course. Upon completion more knowledgeable on the subject. Will recommend to colleagues’
  Paul Doyle – Operations Director, Bauer Technologies Ltd

  ‘Very interesting and useful course.’
  Andrew Naismith – Managing Director, CAE UK Plc and CAE ATS Plc

  ‘Excellent tutor who used appropriate and relevant real life examples.’
  Graham McPhail – Head of Education & Training, CITB, Construction & Industry Training Board

  ‘Very good course with a huge amount covered and great insights.’
  Adrian Thomas – Director of Broadcast Schedule Operations, Discovery Communications Ltd

  ‘Perfect way to learn about a rather difficult topic, good explanations and examples.’
  CEO, large Danish medical equipment company

  Really Great Practical Examples to bring the concepts to |life.’
  Stephen Bowler – Associate Director, BGL Group Ltd

  ‘Excellent course, very knowledgable course leader’
  Damian Kerry – Director, Sunray Engineering Limited

  ‘Phil delivered the course in a superb style: engaging and informative.’
  Steve Doyle – Director, A.D. Construction Group

  ‘An excellent course.’
  Sukhjit Gill – Managing Director, Inclusive Technology

  ‘A really helpful course for understanding Financial Statements.’
  Anne Norris – Director, Gallium Fund Solutions Ltd

  ‘Excellent course.’
  Thomas Peace – Director, Jonarve

  ‘Fantastic course’
  Fiona Simons – Director of Content Operations, Discovery Communications Ltd

  ‘Very good course and good supporting documentation’
  Alex Low – Contracts Manager, Seajacks UK Limited

  ‘Good examples (cases), which made presentation very good and easy to understand’
  Azra Loncarevic-Srmic –Director of Screening & Research, Cardiac Risk in the Young

  ‘Invaluable to any director’
  Abigail Lock – Director, Croydon Churches Housing Association

  ‘Superb knowledge and application.’
  Ben Ward – Commercial Director, Willmott Dixon Energy Services Ltd

  ‘Insightful, Useful, Relevant and Interesting – Thank you’
  Ian Mogey – Director, Chemring UK

  ‘Well delivered and the vast knowledge of Philip, combined with down to earth approach makes for easy understanding’
  Darren Payne – Director, Rhodar Limited

  ‘Very interesting – Superb overview’
  Mark Barfield – British Triathlon Federation

• Finance Course Overview

  This course is assessed as “Excellent” by its delegates.  To ensure that the Executives  attending this training course will continue to get the maximum possible benefit, the delegate numbers will be limited to a maximum of 8.

  This training course is being constantly updated to always contain the latest financial information and issues as well as planned future financial changes.

  This two day Finance for Non-Finance Managers training course places great emphasis on hands-on case studies and discussions, where attendees get the opportunity to practice their newly acquired skills and knowledge, to reinforce the learning process and to really integrate them into their core knowledge and skill set.

  This 2 day Finance for Non-Finance Managers training course will enable you to read, analyse and interpret any set of Financial Statements, including the Balance Sheet, the Profit & Loss Account and the Cash Flow statements.  You will become familiar with techniques such as NPV, Net Present Value and DCF, Discounted Cashflow techniques, Net Asset Value, P/E Ratios, ROCE, ROI, Gearing, Current Ratio, Quick Ratio, Stock Days, Debtor Days and Creditor Days Enterprise Value and EBITDA.  You will recognise and understand the impact of the Fundamental Accounting Concepts and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, GAAP, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, on any Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss Account.  Costing methods based upon break even analysis and contribution analysis will be contrasted with overhead cost allocation approaches to identify their relative strengths and weaknesses. It will provide a good understanding of budgeting, including zero based budgeting, cash management and forecasting.  You will be able to manage the relationship between ROCE, ROI and Gearing.

  You will gain a sound theoretical financial knowledge base upon which to build and acquire new and more advanced financial management skills.  That theoretical knowledge will be reinforced by practical hands-on case studies.

  You will be able to value possible company acquisitions and disposals using techniques such as P/E Ratios and EBITDA ratios, as well as evaluate the likely change in the market value of your own organisation as a result of the potential acquisition or disposal. You will understand the purpose of consolidated accounts and the key information hidden within those accounts.

  The training course will be ideal for those executives who have had limited direct experience of numerically based business management and analytical techniques. They may therefore wish to take a measured approach to the assimilation and absorption of the new financial knowledge and skills. This objective is easily achieved through a very effective and relaxed approach to learning, which is significantly enhanced by the detailed discussions and extensive case studies, especially on day 2 of the training course.

• Finance Course Content

  DAY ONE

  Accounting and the Law

  • Accounting principles, policies & GAAP accounting
  • Terminology & Jargon
  • The different legal structures under which organisations can operate and their advantages and disadvantages
  • The two different sets of accounting standards (rules) available and how to choose between them at a senior level

   

  The Three Key Financial Statements

  • Balance Sheets: Assets; Liabilities; Net current assets, capital employed and how to interpret the information
  • Profit & Loss Account, Types of profit, and the layout & use of the profit & loss account
  • Cash Flow Statements: Importance of cash flow and Impact of credit and credit control, Problems affecting cash flow, Dealing with Debtors and Creditors

   

  Using Key Ratios to Analyse Accounts and to Support Investment Decisions

  • • Return on Capital Employed (ROCE)
    • Current Ratios and Quick Ratios
    • Debtor Days and Creditor Days
    • Stock days and Stock Turn
    • Investment decisions and Return on Investment (ROI)
    • Gearing and its impact upon risk and returns; is the level of borrowing too risky?
    • Liquidity, could the company hit cash flow problems?
    • Profitability, how well is the company doing?

     

  Working Capital Management and Cash Flows

  • Converting operating profits into cash flow
  • Cash forecasts
  • Cash Management and Liquidity

   

  Revenue and Capital Expenditure

  • Capital Expenditure and Revenue Expenditure
  • Phasing of capital spend and its implications for budget holders

   

  Depreciation and Amortisation of Assets and liabilities

  • What is Depreciation
  • What is Amortisation

   

  Costing and the Impact of Costing Assumptions on Business Decisions

  • Cost types & behaviours and their Impact on decisions
  • Break-even and Contribution Analysis
  • How costs are determined
  • Direct and Indirect Costs: Fixed, Mixed and Variable costs
  • Activity Based Costing (ABC) and Activity Based Management (ABM)
  • Standard Costing, Marginal Costing, Absorption Costing and Activity Based Costing (ABC)
  • How frequently used cost allocation methods and calculated profitability by product can cause incorrect key strategic decision making
  • Predicting and maximising profits
  • How the chosen cost structure can affect the planning and decision making process

   

  Basic Company Valuations

  • EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxation, Depreciation and Amortisation) and PE ratio valuations
  • What is your company worth?
  • What are other companies worth?
  • Goodwill; its purpose, calculation and its impact on profits and dividends

   

  DAY TWO

  Summary Financial Overview

  • Accounting Laws and Standards Summary
  • UK and International Financial Reporting Standards, key differences and which is best for you
  • Fundamental Accounting Concepts
  • Financial Statements Structure, Meaning and Terminology Overview; assumes a level of basic knowledge such as would be gained from our 1 day Finance for Non-Finance Managers course

   

  Forecasts, Cash and Budgets

  • The purpose of forecasts for the business
  • Budget objectives and cascading budget objectives
  • Budgetary Control as a management tool
  • Historic v Zero Based budgeting methods
  • Working Capital Cycle

   

  Consolidated Accounts

  • Their purpose and definition
  • Goodwill evaluation and its stated value in the accounts
  • Amortisation of intangibles and their impact upon dividends
  • Definition, Management and Interaction of ROCE (Return on Capital Employed), Gearing and ROI (Return on Investment)
  • Maximising EBITDA, Earnings Before Interest, Taxation, Depreciation and Amortisation

   

  Company Acquisitions and Disposals

  • The valuation of target company acquisitions
  • The treatment of company acquisitions and disposals
  • The impact and timing of acquisitions upon finances
  • Financial pitfalls relating to acquisitions
  • The impact of acquisitions upon your market value
  • Looking through Window Dressing of accounts

   

  Overview of Net Present Value, Discounted Cash Flow and Project Evaluation

  Strategic Report Overview – requirements and applicability

  Case Studies of Real Accounts – Nominated by the Delegates

  • Delegates’ own accounts downloaded from Companies House
  • Or the accounts of another company of interest, nominated by the delegate, e.g. a competitor or a potential acquisition target

   

  Operational Financial Management Aspects

  • Recent major Accounting Changes and their Board level impact upon the Balance Sheet and EBITDA
  • Recent Changes to the recognition of Profits and Sales
  • Pension Issues
  • Financing of Acquisitions
  • The Balanced Scorecard

   

  Share Price and Share Valuation

  • The importance of Share Price/Valuation
  • Maximising Shareholder Value
  • Acquisitions as a tool to create shareholder value and move the Share Price upwards
  • Management of the Share Price/Valuation
  • Share Buybacks versus Dividends
• Finance Training Course Leaders

  The Senior Course Leader is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, an FCA, and a Chartered Director; the Board Director qualification awarded by the Institute of Directors. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Consulting and sits on the Thames Valley Board of the Chartered Management Institute. For several years he was also the Senior Finance for Non-Finance Managers Course Leader for the Chartered Management Institute.

  He spent 11 years on the Chartered Director Committee of the Institute of Directors, which determined what UK Board Directors should know, in order to properly fulfil their role as a company director. This committee helped to shape the Institute of Directors examination syllabus in the UK. After his time on the Chartered Director Committee, he served for a year on the Accreditation and Standards Committee of the Institute of Directors.

  He has over 30 years of successful practical UK and International experience, including company acquisitions and disposals, as well as growing companies from start-up to multimillion pound businesses.  He spent 7 years as the Finance Director and then the Chief Executive of a Plc.  Prior to that he spent 14 years with KPMG Management Consulting, IBM and Arthur Andersen.

  His delivery style is dynamic, approachable and highly engaging, enabling him to deliver a workshop that you will remember. His courses are always assessed as “Excellent” by the delegates.

• Finance Training Course Learning Objectives

  This training course will provide a good grasp of the key elements of Management Accounts and Statutory Financial Accounts. It will introduce and explain NPV and DCF techniques, Net Present Value and Discounted Cash Flow.  You will gain a sound theoretical financial knowledge base upon which to build and acquire new and more advanced financial management skills.

  Attendees will become highly skilled at reading and understanding Balance Sheets and Profit & Loss Accounts. You will become more involved with all types of financial discussions within your organisation. You will be more confident and comfortable when communicating with financial managers, directors, investors, suppliers and key clients.

  You will be able to value possible company acquisitions and disposals using techniques such as P/E Ratios and EBITDA ratios, as well as evaluate the likely change in the market value of your own organisation as a result of the potential acquisition or disposal. You will understand the purpose of consolidated accounts and the key information hidden within those accounts.

  By the end of this training course participants will be better able to:

  • Read, analyse and interpret any set of Financial Statements, including the Balance Sheet, the Profit & Loss Account and the Cash Flow statements
  • Understand and quantify the impact of the fundamental accounting concepts and the chosen policies upon any set of accounts
  • Recognise and understand the underlying impact of the generally accepted accounting principles and policies on any Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss Account
  • Understand the key differences between statutory published accounts and the internal monthly management accounts
  • Select the most appropriate method of costing for your organisation and to explain the impact of your choice
  • Analyse and make sound investment decisions based upon break even analysis and contribution analysis, with a good understanding of their relative strengths and weaknesses
  • Identify and discuss the key financial issues facing an organisation
  • Understand the wider commercial impact of any business decision and its interaction with non-financial aspects of the organisation, enabling you to make a better contribution to key discussions and decision making amongst managers and within the organisation
  • Understand the basics of budgets and the implementation of budgeting processes
  • Value any business using commonly used and widely accepted valuation techniques such as Net Asset Value, Enterprise Value and EBITDA
  • Evaluate potential company acquisitions in terms of their market price and the likely impact upon the market value and key financial numbers of your own business
  • Communicate more effectively and easily with Finance Managers, and other Finance professionals; through an in depth understanding of financial terminology, management and evaluation techniques.
  • Evaluate and identify the financial impact of combining different levels of Gearing with Return on Investment, ROI, to achieve different levels of Return on Capital Employed, ROCE.  Understand the concept of Financial Risk and its relationship to gearing
  • Understand the purpose of consolidated accounts and recognise the hidden red flags within the numbers
  • Be able to identify the most appropriate legal structure for a business and understand the principal financial duties of the Board.
• Who Should Attend This Training Course

  All Senior Executives would benefit from attending this course, from department heads right up to the Chief Executive and the Chairs.  This is because most people have absorbed their financial knowledge piecemeal from those colleagues with financial skills that they have encountered.  This means their knowledge is patchy and incomplete.  This course will provide a solid and complete financial knowledge base.

  These are some of the executives who would benefit from this course: Chief Executive Officers, Board Chairmen and Board Chairs, IT Directors, Logistics Directors, Operations Directors, HR Directors, Technical Directors, Commercial Directors, Sales Directors, Marketing Directors, Company Secretaries, General Managers, all Non-Executive Directors, all Trustees, all Investors, all Board Consultants and Advisors.

• Internal Staff Training and Development

  This training workshop, along with most of our other best practice training workshops, can be delivered as an internal training course at your premises. Even with groups as small as 6 delegates, the course fees per person for internal training workshops can be lower than for open events. The potential savings are even greater, if the travel time and the travel costs of the delegates are included.

  Running training workshops internally is very convenient many of our clients and allows the participants to explore how key issues will impact on them and their organisation. Then as a team they can begin to agree upon development action plans and assign priorities. This approach is favoured by many of our clients as it combines a high quality service with excellent value for money and is a highly effective route for staff development.

  In-House Course for Staff Training and Development

• Certificates of Professional Development

  This course is recognised for CPD purposes by most other professional institutes and associations including the Law Society, the CIM, the CMI, the ICAEW, the Institute of Learning and the CIPD. Formal Certificates of Professional Development will be issued to delegates who successfully complete this course. These certificates will enable participants to evidence the update of their CPD records. The workshop will consider how to best apply the knowledge gained by the delegates upon their return to the workplace. This element of the programme is designed to maximise the benefits of attending and enable participants to make valued judgements when recording CPD activities.