Finance for Non-Financial Leaders
Develop the financial confidence to make stronger strategic business decisions.
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25% discount for alumni. Please contact us for group bookings.
What is the Finance for Non-Financial Leaders Programme?
This is a practical executive development programme designed for professionals who make strategic and operational decisions and need the financial insight to evaluate performance, assess investment opportunities, and drive stronger organisational outcomes.
Over the course of three days, this programme bridges financial theory and real business application, helping participants build the confidence to interpret financial data and apply it to strategic and operational decisions.
- Strengthen the financial understanding needed to contribute to wider business discussions, not just decisions within your own function.
- Understand how financial performance, cash flow, investment and resource decisions shape organisational success.
- Build the financial fluency often expected of senior managers, department heads and future leaders.
- Learn how to use financial information to evaluate options, assess trade-offs and justify recommendations.
- Develop the confidence to ask better questions, challenge assumptions and communicate the financial impact of your decisions.
- Use practical tools and frameworks that can support budgeting, planning, investment proposals and performance discussions in your current role.
Programme Format
This programme includes:
- 3 in-person days of immersive learning at Leeds University Business School
- Expert-led facilitation combining financial theory with practical business application
- Interactive case studies and group exercises focused on real organisational scenarios
- Peer learning with professionals from a range of industries and leadership roles
- Guest speaker insight from experienced finance practitioners
Throughout the programme, participants will apply financial concepts to practical business challenges, building the confidence to interpret financial information and contribute more effectively to strategic discussions.
Graduates receive a Certificate of Completion from Leeds University Business School, recognising their achievement and enhanced ability to engage in financial decision-making within their organisation.
The Finance for Non-Financial Leaders Programme is designed for professionals who are involved in business decision-making but do not have a formal background in finance. It is aimed at managers, team leaders and experienced professionals working across SMEs, large organisations or the public sector who need to engage more confidently with financial information as part of their role. Participants may be responsible for managing budgets, evaluating investments, contributing to strategic planning, or working closely with finance teams.
Applicants will typically be in roles where they influence operational or strategic decisions and want to strengthen their understanding of financial performance, financial reporting and investment evaluation in order to contribute more effectively to business discussions. The programme is suitable for professionals from a wide range of functions, including operations, marketing, project management, strategy and general management.
Key benefits for participants
- Build confidence beyond your core specialism
Strengthen the financial understanding needed to contribute to wider business discussions, not just decisions within your own function. - Develop your commercial awareness
Understand how financial performance, cash flow, investment and resource decisions shape organisational success. - Prepare for broader leadership responsibility
Build the financial fluency often expected of senior managers, department heads and future leaders. - Strengthen your decision-making capability
Learn how to use financial information to evaluate options, assess trade-offs and justify recommendations. - Increase your credibility in senior conversations
Develop the confidence to ask better questions, challenge assumptions and communicate the financial impact of your decisions. - Apply your learning immediately
Use practical tools and frameworks that can support budgeting, planning, investment proposals and performance discussions in your current role.
Key benefits for organisations
- Develop leaders who can make financially informed decisions
- Improve collaboration between finance and non-finance teams
- Support better use of resources
- Build confidence across leadership teams
- Improve the quality of business cases and investment discussions
- Create a shared financial language across functions
This programme helps professionals develop the financial fluency required to operate confidently at a senior level.
Participants will gain the knowledge and tools to:
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Interpret and communicate financial information with confidence
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Apply financial analysis to real business challenges
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Evaluate financing and investment decisions
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Understand the financial implications of strategic choices
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Manage financial risk in business planning
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Use modern analytical tools, including AI-supported forecasting approaches, to enhance decision-making
By developing a stronger understanding of finance, participants will be better equipped to contribute to strategic discussions and influence organisational performance.
£2,400 per participant.
Find out more about our Leeds alumni discount available for the October 2026 cohort, subject to eligibility and limited availability.
Course Overview
The programme is delivered over three days, each focusing on a key area of financial decision-making.
The first day builds confidence in understanding and interpreting the financial information that underpins business decisions.
Participants will explore the structure and purpose of key financial documents, including the profit and loss statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement. They will learn how to assess business performance using financial ratios and understand how financial analysis supports operational decision-making.
Topics include:
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Understanding financial statements
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Profitability, liquidity and efficiency ratios
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Cash flow analysis
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Working capital management
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Identifying signs of financial distress
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Interpreting business performance through financial data
Day two focuses on how organisations fund their operations and growth, and how financing choices influence long-term strategy.
Participants will explore different sources of finance, including debt and equity, and learn how to evaluate their suitability for organisational goals.
The session also introduces financial models used to assess investment and funding decisions.
Topics include:
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Principles of business financing
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Internal and external sources of finance
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Cost of capital concepts including WACC and CAPM
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Strategic growth options such as mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures
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Business restructuring approaches
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Guest speaker insight from an investment professional
Participants will also begin applying programme learning to a practical investment scenario.
The final day focuses on evaluating investment opportunities and managing financial risk.
Participants will learn how to apply key investment appraisal techniques used in strategic decision-making, while also exploring how modern technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming financial analysis.
Topics include:
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Capital investment appraisal techniques (ARR, Payback, NPV, IRR)
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Understanding the time value of money
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Managing financial risk in investment planning
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Inflation, uncertainty and capital rationing
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Using AI tools to enhance forecasting and analysis
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Practical approaches to predictive financial modelling
Participants will leave with practical frameworks that can be applied immediately within their organisation.
Upcoming Start Dates
Day 1 – Monday 5 October
Financial statements and analysis for decision-making
Day 2 – Tuesday 6 October
Strategic financial decision-making
Day 3 – Tuesday 3 November
Capital investment, risk management, and AI-driven financial decision-making
Meet Our Academic Expert
Konstantinos Bozos, Professor, Leeds University Business School
Professor Bozos is the Head of the Accounting & Finance Department at Leeds University Business School and holds the Chair in International Accounting & Finance.
Prior to joining academia, Konstantinos accumulated significant industry experience as a financial analyst and management consultant, specialising in strategic budgeting and financial control, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance. He has also worked as equities trader and investment advisor for prominent multinational asset managers and has provided freelance consultancy to financial sector firms across Europe, including the UK, Greece, and Cyprus. This involved collaborating with senior executives, boards of directors, and various stakeholders to drive business strategy, optimise performance, and manage risks.
Konstantinos teaches Corporate Finance, Accounting & Finance for Managers, and Applied Finance across various levels, including professional programs such as MBA, Executive MBA, and CIPD. He excels in communicating complex concepts clearly and effectively, tailoring his approach to the specific needs of his audience, particularly working professionals.
Develop your financial confidence – Apply Now
Contact the team
If you would like more information, please contact our dedicated team by emailing LUBSOpenProgrammes@leeds.ac.uk.
Alternatively, contact our Business Development Manager, Kristen Cabrera, on 07542511419.