Financial Strategy and Decision-Making Training Course

This course equips participants with the financial strategy and decision-making skills needed to create value and guide organizational direction. It focuses on capital allocation, investment appraisal, capital structure, risk, and performance evaluation in strategic contexts.

Target Groups

• CFOs and finance directors
• Senior finance managers
• Strategy and planning managers
• General managers and executives
• Board members and audit committee members
• Business development professionals
• Managers and supervisors seeking to strengthen organizational practice in this field
• Consultants and professionals supporting related organizations

Course Objectives

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

• Link financial strategy to corporate strategy
• Evaluate investment opportunities using appraisal techniques
• Determine optimal capital structure
• Assess cost of capital and funding options
• Apply value-based management concepts
• Analyze financial risk and hedging choices
• Develop dividend and reinvestment policies
• Make evidence-based strategic financial decisions
• Evaluate strategic performance using financial metrics
• Communicate financial strategy to stakeholders

Course Modules

Module 1: Financial Strategy Foundations

• Role of financial strategy
• Value creation principles
• Strategic financial objectives
• Stakeholder expectations
• Strategy and finance alignment

Module 2: Strategic Financial Analysis

• Diagnosing financial health
• Industry and competitor benchmarking
• Drivers of value
• Strengths and weaknesses assessment
• Scenario thinking

Module 3: Investment Appraisal

• NPV, IRR, and payback
• Capital rationing
• Risk-adjusted appraisal
• Real options thinking
• Post-investment review

Module 4: Cost of Capital and Funding Choices

• Cost of equity and debt
• Weighted average cost of capital
• Sources of finance
• Lease versus buy decisions
• Funding strategy

Module 5: Capital Structure and Dividend Policy

• Capital structure theories
• Leverage trade-offs
• Dividend and buyback decisions
• Retention policies
• Signaling effects

Module 6: Value-Based Management

• Economic profit and EVA
• Shareholder value metrics
• Value drivers
• Linking incentives to value
• Portfolio review

Module 7: Financial Risk and Hedging

• Types of financial risk
• Currency and interest rate exposure
• Hedging instruments
• Risk appetite and policy
• Risk reporting

Module 8: Mergers, Acquisitions, and Restructuring

• Strategic rationale
• Valuation approaches
• Deal financing
• Integration risks
• Restructuring decisions

Module 9: Decision-Making under Uncertainty

• Decision trees
• Scenario and sensitivity analysis
• Cognitive biases in finance
• Governance of major decisions
• Ethical considerations

Module 10: Practical Exercises and Capstone Project

• Analyzing a strategic investment case
• Determining funding and capital structure
• Running scenarios and risk tests
• Preparing a decision paper
• Presenting recommendations to a mock board