The Oxford Advanced Finance Programme
The programme is divided into two modules, which can be taken individually or sequentially for maximum benefit: Module I: Understanding Finance to Influence Strategic Decisions Module II: Financial Analysis, Planning & Control
Overview
The Oxford Advanced Finance Programme is a leading-edge 10-day training seminar designed for professionals who wish to master strategic management, financial planning, and financial management. It is ideal for those seeking to enhance their financial management skills or refresh and update their existing knowledge. This comprehensive seminar equips participants with the tools and techniques necessary to make informed strategic decisions, maximize shareholder value, manage financial risk, and improve overall corporate performance. Key Highlights of the Programme Strategic decision-making, financial planning, forecasting, and budgeting. Understanding financial statements and their role in decision-making and budgeting. Ratio analysis of the income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows. Costing methodologies: Traditional Costing, Activity-Based Costing (ABC), Activity-Based Budgeting (ABB), and Activity-Based Management (ABM). Financing decisions, capital structure optimization, and Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC). Performance measurement systems: linking KPIs to strategy using a Balanced Scorecard. Financial risk management: interest rate and foreign currency exposure. Capital project appraisal: discounted cash flow (DCF), business valuations, acquisitions, and restructuring.
Objectives
By the end of this programme, participants will be able to: Understand how business strategies are developed and supported by financial management. Identify and analyze business problems using relevant variables, trends, and relationships. Apply financial and economic analysis to support decision-making. Assess the reliability of financial data and understand the impact of risk and uncertainty. Distinguish between cash flow and accounting profit in financial decision-making. Integrate qualitative judgments with quantitative financial analysis for informed decision-making.
Audience
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Methodology
The Oxford Advanced Finance Programme combines theoretical knowledge with practical application through: Interactive presentations and discussions. Team exercises and participative workshops. Case studies and real-life examples. Hands-on exercises to reinforce learning and application. The seminar is designed for professionals with varying levels of financial knowledge, ensuring an engaging and practical learning experience. Delegates will gain both the skills and confidence to apply techniques directly in the workplace.
Outline
Module I – Understanding Finance to Influence Strategic Decisions Day 1 – Linking Strategy, Decision-Making, and Financial Planning Strategy and strategic management Vision, mission, and objectives Key features of strategic decision-making Implementing strategies and value creation Corporate objectives, accountability, and governance Management accounting and the link to planning and budgeting Day 2 – Financial Statements and Financial Planning The three primary financial statements: Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement Sources of internal and external financing Cost of equity, cost of debt, and Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) Capital structure optimization to minimize WACC Long-term financial planning and financing requirements Day 3 – Costing Systems and Performance Measurement Cost behavior: fixed vs. variable costs Cost-Volume-Profit (CVP) analysis, break-even, and sensitivity analysis Direct and indirect costs Activity-Based Costing (ABC) and Activity-Based Management (ABM) Refining costing systems to support decision-making Day 4 – Capital Investment Decisions Time value of money: present and future values, discounted cash flow (DCF) Capital budgeting principles and evaluation methods: ARR, Payback, NPV, IRR, MIRR, Equivalent Annual Cost (EAC) Capital rationing and profitability index (PI) Factors influencing investment decisions Day 5 – Linking Performance Measures and Risk Management Aligning KPIs with strategic objectives using a Balanced Scorecard Identifying obstacles from accounting and costing systems Business and financial risk analysis Risk management principles and tools Hedging and insurance strategies Interest rate and foreign currency risk management Module II – Financial Analysis, Planning & Control Day 6 – The Challenge of Financial and Economic Decision-Making The value-creating company Corporate value and shareholder value Dynamic business perspectives The agency problem and corporate governance Financial statements in context for decision-making Day 7 – Assessment of Business Performance Ratio analysis for management, owners, and lenders Integration of performance analysis Economic Value Added (EVA) Predicting financial distress using the Z-score model Day 8 – Analysis of Investment Decisions Time-adjusted measures: NPV, IRR, MIRR Strategic perspective on investment appraisal EVA and NPV integration Sensitivity, scenario, and simulation analysis NPV break-even and risk adjustments Day 9 – Financial Projections and Planning Interrelation of financial projections Operating budgets, standard costing, and variance analysis Cash forecasts and budgets Sensitivity analysis and financial modeling Operating leverage and financial growth planning Day 10 – Valuation and Business Performance Managing for shareholder value Value-based methodologies and evolution Value creation in restructuring and acquisitions Business valuation and strategic financial planning Management Buy-Outs (MBOs) and Management Buy-Ins (MBIs)