Finance for Non-Financial Leaders

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.

• Improved financial decision-making across teams

• Greater financial control and planning capability

• Stronger understanding of investment risk and funding options

• More effective collaboration between financial and non-financial teams

• Better alignment between operational decisions and financial outcomes

This programme helps professionals develop the financial fluency required to operate confidently at a senior level.

Participants will gain the knowledge and tools to:

• Interpret and communicate financial information with confidence

• Apply financial analysis to real business challenges

• Evaluate financing and investment decisions

• Understand the financial implications of strategic choices

• Manage financial risk in business planning

• 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.

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:

• Understanding financial statements

• Profitability, liquidity and efficiency ratios

• Cash flow analysis

• Working capital management

• Identifying signs of financial distress

• 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:

• Principles of business financing

• Internal and external sources of finance

• Cost of capital concepts including WACC and CAPM

• Strategic growth options such as mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures

• Business restructuring approaches

• 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:

• Capital investment appraisal techniques (ARR, Payback, NPV, IRR)

• Understanding the time value of money

• Managing financial risk in investment planning

• Inflation, uncertainty and capital rationing

• Using AI tools to enhance forecasting and analysis

• Practical approaches to predictive financial modelling

Participants will leave with practical frameworks that can be applied immediately within their organisation.

Day 1 – Thursday 4 June

Financial statements and analysis for decision-making

Day 2 – Tuesday 9 June

Strategic financial decision-making

Day 3 – Tuesday 23 June

Capital investment, risk management, and AI-driven financial decision-making